Children as Young as 12 Addicted to Heroin in Kashmir, Thousands Seek Treatment

Srinagar, KNT: Authorities and medical experts in Kashmir Valley are raising serious alarm over a rapidly worsening drug addiction crisis, warning that children as young as 12 years old are now falling victim to heroin abuse while treatment and rehabilitation facilities struggle to handle the growing number of patients seeking help.

Healthcare professionals associated with addiction treatment programs described the situation as one of the most serious social and public health challenges faced by the Valley in recent years, with opioid addiction increasingly affecting teenagers, school-going children and young adults.

Officials and experts involved in rehabilitation efforts estimate that nearly 8 to 10 percent of Kashmir Valley’s young population is affected by drug addiction in some form, with heroin emerging as the most abused substance among young users.

According to figures cited by authorities and health workers, nearly 95,000 individuals below the age of 17 are reportedly consuming opioids, mainly heroin, indicating a sharp and deeply worrying rise in substance abuse among minors.

Doctors working in rehabilitation and counseling centres said the age profile of drug users was steadily declining, with children in early teenage years now appearing at treatment facilities.

Officials associated with rehabilitation programs told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that some centres were now receiving up to 150 new patients every day, placing immense strain on healthcare workers, infrastructure and counseling systems.

Several experts said the demand for rehabilitation services had increased sharply over the past few years, while available infrastructure remained insufficient to address the scale of the crisis.

Doctors said many families were approaching treatment centres only after addiction had already reached severe stages, making recovery more difficult and increasing chances of relapse.

Dr Abdul Majeed from the Advanced Centre for Medical Health and Addiction, who works closely with recovering addicts, said multiple social and environmental factors were contributing to the rapid spread of drug abuse among youth.

“Peer group pressure, curiosity and availability are the main reasons,” Dr Majeed said while discussing the causes behind increasing addiction rates among teenagers.

He said narcotic substances, particularly heroin, had become more accessible in several localities, increasing vulnerability among adolescents who were often exposed to drugs through social circles or local networks.

Experts said the combination of unemployment, emotional stress, lack of recreational opportunities and social influence was making young people more vulnerable to experimentation with narcotic substances.

Counselors working with addicts said many teenagers initially began using drugs casually or under peer influence before gradually developing severe dependency.

Dr Majeed said treatment facilities and counseling support were available for those genuinely willing to quit addiction, but warned that rehabilitation remained a difficult and prolonged process.

“We treat addicts, they go back to society, some come in contact with peddlers again. Those who are treated are the vulnerable group,” he said.

Doctors and counselors said relapse remained one of the biggest obstacles in rehabilitation efforts because many recovering addicts eventually returned to the same social environments where narcotics were easily available.

They warned that unless strict action was taken against drug peddlers and trafficking networks, treatment alone would not be sufficient to control the crisis.

“There is a need for more awareness and strict action against the peddlers,” said a medical expert adding that 100 day drug free drive will help a lot in this regard.

Officials and social activists said the impact of drug addiction was increasingly visible in schools, families and neighborhoods, with many households facing emotional and financial distress due to addiction-related problems.

Authorities have intensified anti-drug operations in different districts of Kashmir in recent past, resulting in arrests, seizures of narcotic substances and the identification of alleged drug trafficking networks.

Police and enforcement agencies have maintained that action against drug peddlers remains a priority, but healthcare experts say the crisis now requires a broader societal response involving schools, parents, religious institutions, civil society groups and healthcare providers.

Mental health specialists warned that stigma surrounding addiction also prevented many families from seeking timely medical assistance, often allowing dependency to worsen before treatment began.

Experts said awareness campaigns in educational institutions and communities were necessary to educate young people about the dangers of heroin and opioid abuse before addiction took root.

They also stressed the need for expansion of rehabilitation infrastructure, long-term counseling programs and stronger community-based support systems for recovering addicts.

Medical professionals warned that unless preventive measures, awareness initiatives and enforcement actions were strengthened simultaneously, Kashmir could face even more severe social consequences in the coming years as addiction spreads deeper among younger populations. [KNT]