The high price of unemployment: The human cost of the drug crisis in J&K

​By Raqif Makhdoomi* 

​Jammu and Kashmir is no longer merely at risk of a drug epidemic; it is losing the fight. The statistics are staggering, with approximately 13.5 lakh people—nearly 8% of the total population—caught in the grip of substance abuse. In the ranking of Indian Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir now sits at a grim top. We have officially reached a point where we can no longer speak in hypotheticals about a future crisis. The vocabulary has shifted from "if" to "if not addressed immediately." Without radical intervention, we are on the verge of losing an entire generation.

​The social landscape of the Valley has shifted visibly. Only a few years ago, drug addiction was a hidden, rare occurrence. Today, it is common to walk past addicts in broad daylight. The shame that once relegated substance use to the shadows has faded. When confronted, many users respond with a chilling, defiant sense of autonomy, claiming their right to consume whatever they choose with their own money. This brazenness is matched by the expanding demographic of the crisis; the age of addicts now spans from 17 to 75, and the gender divide is rapidly closing.

​Perhaps the most pressing question is how these substances remain so readily available in such high quantities. The trade has developed its own subculture and linguistics. In the streets, phrases like "Bachav Ya"—a plea to share a stash—or "Ye chu tich karith"—referring to someone under the influence of heroin—act as a coded sign language that allows the trade to flourish under the very noses of the community.

​The legislative and law enforcement response has been significant, yet the supply remains resilient. As of late 2025, over 1,300 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act were registered in Jammu and Kashmir, with properties worth tens of crores attached and hundreds of individuals under active surveillance. While the government has identified hundreds of hotspots and disrupted smuggling routes—seizing hundreds of kilograms of heroin—the loophole remains wide open. To effectively lower addiction levels, the focus must shift aggressively toward the suppliers. We must hold the snake by its head. Chopping the branches of this poisonous tree is insufficient; we must uproot it entirely.

​The variety of substances available is equally alarming. While heroin remains the primary choice for many due to its inexplicable availability, cannabis remains the most widely used, often dangerously cloaked in a misguided sense of "spirituality." Beyond these, there is a rising tide of synthetic abuse, including Tramadol, Pregabalin, and Crystal Meth. Most disturbing, however, are the desperate measures taken by those at the furthest edges of addiction, who resort to inhaling fumes from boiled sanitary pads or consuming liquid polish on bread. These stories are not just harrowing; they are a testament to a profound societal failure.

​The root causes of this descent are multi-faceted, but in Jammu and Kashmir, unemployment stands as the primary driver. The lack of economic opportunity, compounded by peer pressure, family stress, and early childhood trauma, creates a vacuum that drugs quickly fill. While the indicators of addiction—ranging from behavioral aggression and insomnia to involuntary eye movements—are well-documented, the ultimate indicator remains death. Whether through kidney failure or overdose, the journey that begins with "just one try" inevitably ends in the morgue. Jammu and Kashmir has no choice but to move to a war footing to address this crisis, or it will surely watch its future vanish.

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​*Law student and human rights activist