SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President and Member of Parliament from Srinagar, Dr Farooq Abdullah, has stated that the misuse of smartphones and drug addiction/substance abuse are emerging as significant threats to the youth.
He made these remarks while addressing the public in Magam. Also present on the occasion were General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar, Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq, Political Advisor to the President Mushtaq Guroo, State Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar, Provincial VP Ahsan Pardesi, Senior leaders Dr Muhammad Shafi, Adv Saifudin Bhat, Sheikh Ovase, and local unit functionaries of the party.
Farooq Abdullah was visiting Magam to express his condolences to party leader Mohammad Ibrahim on the demise of his brother.
Expressing concern over the significant increase in drug addiction cases among the youth, Dr Farooq said, “Drug abuse in J&K is becoming a rampant phenomenon. It should be a matter of concern for all of us. The first step towards stopping such incidents starts with introspection by all of us. It is evident that this menace is an alarming manifestation of widespread unemployment prevailing across J&K. It is time for the government to change the discourse about drug addiction and start considering it as a disease rather than just a law-and-order issue.”
“For years now, Kashmir has been witnessing a new epidemic—drug addiction. This has caused deep concern in Kashmiri society. The figures reported by various government agencies also question the effectiveness of government efforts in curbing the rise of drug abuse. Surveys conducted by various agencies reveal the severity of the problem. Merely focusing on controlling the narcotics mafia won’t help win the war against this issue. Unless the government makes a massive outreach to our youth, this battle against drug abuse cannot be won,” he stated.
“Our youth are struggling with insecurity, unemployment, and democratic disenfranchisement all at the same time. There is a great need to instill a sense of security in our youth. However, placing the entire responsibility of combating these problems solely on the shoulders of law enforcement agencies will not be sufficient. The battle against this menace must be fought at multiple levels,” he added.
Dr Farooq also expressed concern about the excessive use of smartphones among youth, stating that the amount of time children and teens spend on their devices has become a growing concern. “As a society, we need to consider whether screen time is negatively affecting other aspects of children’s lives, such as sports and academics,” he said. (KNS)
