A few days ago, yet another young life, barely in his twenties, from a neighbouring village was lost to drugs. He was quietly laid to rest. For a brief moment, grief enveloped the community; hushed conversations followed, marked by concern and unease. Parents cautioned their children against keeping company with suspected addicts, and then, as often happens, life moved on—outwardly normal, inwardly unsettled. This quiet normalisation of tragedy is perhaps the most disturbing dimension of the drug challenge unfolding in Jammu & Kashmir. What was once perceived as a limited concern has now assumed the proportions of a serious public health and social issue. Some estimates indicate that over 13 lakh individuals in Jammu & Kashmir are affected by substance use in varying degrees, with a significant proportion being young people. Particularly worrying is the increasing use of highly addictive substances such as heroin and synthetic drugs, along with a noticeable decline in the age of initiation. Behind these figures lie deeply personal stories of loss, distress, and communities grappling with a growing crisis.

The causes of this problem are complex and require careful understanding. Changing........

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