Anti-drug crackdown proving effective - Raman Suri calls for community-led awareness initiatives

JAMMU: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Raman Suri has stated that the intensified crackdown on drug peddlers under the administration of Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha has finally begun yielding the desired results across Jammu Kashmir. In a statement issued today, he expressed concern over the alarming rise in drug addiction in the region in recent years but noted that recent actions against drug peddlers as well as addicts have sent alarms amongst them which will definitely marginalise them and virtually end this menace which is damaging our society.

Raman Suri noted that the situation had been steadily worsening, with an increasing number of young individuals, including school-going children, falling prey to substance abuse. He also pointed out that the number of admissions in rehabilitation centers had been rising, reflecting the gravity of the crisis. However, Suri emphasized that the recent, well-coordinated assault on the drug menace has started to reverse the trend.

He credited the administration’s multi-pronged approach, which includes sustained police action, identification and checking of drug hotspots, arrest of accused individuals, and intensified vigilance across sensitive areas. He further highlighted that large-scale awareness campaigns, rallies, and outreach programs in educational institutions have played a crucial role in educating the public, especially the youth, about the dangers of drug addiction.

These combined efforts, Raman Suri said, are now producing visible and encouraging outcomes. He also strongly advocated for involving rehabilitated former drug addicts in the awareness campaign which might sound tough but would ultimately make people listen from the horse’s mouth what all they lost in their journey of being an addict and coming out of it. None other than them will be able to convince individuals into drugs, he asserted.

He suggested that individuals who have successfully overcome addiction should be encouraged to share their experiences in public gatherings, educational institutions, and community forums.

“These individuals can serve as powerful voices of reality. Their firsthand accounts can help people understand how dangerous drug addiction is and how difficult, sometimes nearly impossible, it is to come out of it,” Suri said. He added that such interactions with students in all institutions and young people would leave a lasting impact and act as a strong deterrent against substance abuse.

Referring to past records, Suri noted that frequent seizures of drugs along borders, interceptions from vehicles, and arrests of individuals involved in drug trafficking across Jammu and Kashmir have sent a strong and clear message. He asserted that these actions demonstrate the LG administration’s firm commitment to a zero-tolerance policy against drug abuse and trafficking.

Raman Suri reiterated that while enforcement agencies are doing commendable work, the fight against drugs must also become a people’s movement, with active participation from families, educational institutions, and civil society. He expressed confidence that with sustained efforts, Jammu Kashmir can overcome the drug menace and secure a healthier future for its youth because we are not late and have started a massive crackdown at the very right stage before the situation would have slipped out of our hands.