The growing menace of drug abuse has emerged as one of the most serious issues facing our youth in recent years. And this demands responses that go beyond police action and official statistics. In this context, the initiative by Imams across Kashmir to engage directly in the fight against substance abuse deserves both recognition and support.
The sight of religious leaders meeting the officials of the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS) is symbolically powerful. It shows an understanding that addressing addiction needs a collective responsibility from all sections of society, more so, imams whose word carries weight and trust.
The numbers underline the urgency for such an action. According to data, since 2018, over 1.12 lakh kilograms of narcotics have been seized and more than 10,000 people arrested under the NDPS Act. Yet seizures and arrests tell only part of the story. Addiction has seeped into homes, schools, and neighbourhoods, often hidden by shame and fear. With over 83,000 people seeking treatment at de-addiction centres since 2020, and thousands more likely suffering in silence, Kashmir is staring at a public health emergency.
Law enforcement has intensified its crackdown, destroying illegal poppy and cannabis cultivation and dismantling trafficking networks. These efforts are necessary, but they are not sufficient. Addiction requires prevention, early intervention, and sustained rehabilitation. This is where community institutions, particularly religious ones, become indispensable.
Friday sermons, counselling sessions, and informal conversations within mosques have the potential to break stigma and encourage early help-seeking. When Imams speak of addiction as a disease rather than a sin, they open doors to recovery. The emphasis on confidentiality and compassion, highlighted during the IMHANS interaction, is crucial in a society where fear of social ostracism often delays treatment.
Kashmir, long scarred by conflict, cannot afford to lose another generation, this time to a slow, silent epidemic. The war against drugs will not be won by enforcement alone. It will be won when society chooses collective action over denial. The Imams’ step forward is a hopeful beginning. Now, it must be matched by sustained commitment from all.