Sahil Manzoor
Once gripped by the silent spread of drug abuse, North Kashmir is now witnessing a powerful community-led transformation. Rather than surrendering to despair, families, especially mothers, are rising as front-line warriors. In towns like Baramulla, Kupwara, and Sopore, women are forming informal support groups, gathering in homes and community spaces to share pain, strength, and strategies to fight addiction. For them, this is not a campaign, it’s a mission to save their children.
Religious leaders have joined the cause. In mosques across the region, imams now deliver Friday sermons that address drug addiction openly, breaking the culture of silence and shame. Schools, too, have become safe spaces. Teachers are trained to recognize early signs of substance abuse and guide students toward support. Awareness sessions focus not only on consequences, but on healing, empathy, and healthy choices.
Local NGOs like KWA, Hope Alive, Youth of Bandipora, and Sukoon Kupwara have stepped in with energy and compassion, hosting counselling sessions, awareness drives, and peer support groups. Many of these volunteers are themselves in recovery, turning personal battles into public service.
The Government Medical College Baramulla’s Addiction Treatment Facility has become a lifeline, treating over 1,300 patients, with special efforts to reintegrate recovering individuals through training and job placements. Five rehabilitated youth have already secured jobs through government schemes, becoming living examples of second chances.
The District Administration has played a pivotal role. In 2024–25, coordinated action across departments reshaped the anti-drug response. Police arrested nearly 200 peddlers, seizing narcotics and illicit assets, while pharmacies shifted to computerized billing for better tracking. Prevention became the new focus, training ASHAs, teachers, and parents, and using mobile vans to reach remote villages.
Youth engagement has been central. Sports tournaments, street plays, debates, and rallies, like the symbolic Baramulla to Kaman Post cycling event led by girls, have stirred awareness and hope. Messages against addiction now echo through art, music, and social media.
The fight is far from over. Relapses happen. But the response has changed, no more silence, no more shame. North Kashmir isn’t just resisting drugs, it is building a culture of healing, ownership, and resilience. In every village, school, mosque, and rehab centre, the message is clear: we will not lose another generation.
