Chief minister of Jammu Kashmir, Omar Abdullah has called upon the religious leaders across the region to help the government fight the rising drug abuse.
The Chief Minister, in a crucial civil society meeting held at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), said that ghe escalating drug abuse will remain at the forefront of his government’s priorities.
He highlighted the deepening threat of substance abuse to the region’s youth, calling on religious leaders and civil society members to stand with the government in fighting this crisis.
“When I was the CM, I made a speech on drugs in 2012. Then, drugs were not that big an issue. It was confined to codeine and other pills. Today, things have changed. (Drugs are) consuming the lives of our younger generation,” Abdullah remarked.
He emphasized the urgency of expanding de-addiction facilities across Jammu Kashmir.
Health Minister Sakeena Masood echoed the CM’s concern, describing drug addiction as a “catastrophe” and underscoring the role of community support in combating it.
“Saving our future generation from the grip of drugs is our top-most priority,” she stated, emphasizing that the National Conference’s anti-drug policy, War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), had been crafted with input from experts and community representatives.
Masood’s ministry is focusing on enhancing healthcare infrastructure to improve treatment options, explaining that she prioritised assessing existing services to address gaps swiftly.
“Let us start now and not wait for creating new infrastructure,” she added, noting that making the best use of available resources would allow for a faster, more comprehensive response.
Civil society members attending the meeting expressed optimism about the government’s renewed commitment.
Many highlighted that a stronger role for religious leaders could make a critical difference, fostering a community-wide effort to counter the threat to Kashmir’s youth.