Jammu, Mar 5 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather on Wednesday assured to hold a special discussion for 30 minutes on the drug addiction as members expressed concern on the rising cases of the menace across the Union Territory.
The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), Aam Admi Party (AAP), CPI (M), National Conference (NC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) legislators unanimously raised voice in the house over drug addiction stating that it is a concern for everyone.
National Conference MLA, Mubarak Gul has sought reply from the government during question hour that whether it is a fact that drug addiction and drug trafficking cases have increased manifold in Jammu and Kashmir during the last few years, if so, the steps taken to eradicate drug menace.
Minister In-charge, Sakina Itoo replied that it is a fact that there was alarming increase of drug addiction among the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
"But after the initiation of Nasha Mukt Abhiyan since September 2022, the record registration of new cases has shown a slight decreasing trend. Further there is no evidence of an increase in drug addiction cases," Itoo read the written reply in the house.
She further said that the number of registered drug addiction (OPD) cases in Jammu and Kashmir has shown declining trend over the past three years.
"This down trend indicates some level of control or improvement in detecting and managing drug addiction cases during this period," the Minister said adding that the inpatient drug addiction cases have increased significantly over the past three years, despite a decrease in the overall number of new registered cases.
Itoo said that this increase in IPD cases could potentially be attributed to the expansion of IPD services in de-addiction centres in Jammu and Kashmir, leading to more admissions and better access to inpatient care for those requiring intensive treatment or better reporting mechanisms.
However, sharing the steps taken by the Department, the Minister stated that as per the policy level measures, adoption of drug de-addiction policy, constitution of State level policy implementation monitoring, massive campaign 'Nasha Mukt J&K Abhiyan', standard operating procedure, Divisional and District level drug De-addiction and Monitoring Committees.
She said that as far as treatment and rehabilitation facilities are concerned, currently, 11 Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) are functional in the Kashmir Division and nine in the Jammu Division, adding, "OPD services are functional in all 20 districts, while IPD services are available in all nine Government Medical Colleges, catering to both male and female patients.
Psychiatrists are available in all the GMCs of UT of J&K, call centre known as 'Tele MANAS' has been established to facilitate drug victims to seek treatment, Health Department has established close collaboration with the Social Welfare Department and Ayush Department, Itoo said.
The Minister said, "as such UT of J&K has not established age-wise drug De-addiction centres but all age groups are provided services in the district's drug De-addiction centres."
Sharing data, she said in 2022, 9775 individuals, 8702 in 2023 and 6925 in 2023 undergoing a treatment in such centres during the last three years.
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