Women and children took part in a rally against drug abuse here.
Srinagar, Aug 9 : Women and children took part in a rally against drug abuse here.
According to voluntary groups, at least 35 percent of the younger generation is addicted to drugs.
"The best thing is that the Kashmiri residents along with the Muslims and Sikhs are working together for it. And for the past two-three years, the Youth Welfare Organisation is also involved in this battle," said Sanjay Tikko, a resident.
Decades of violence in which thousands have died have adversely impacted the psyche of the region, with the younger generation taking to drugs to forget the trauma.
According to the United Nations Narcotics Control strategy report, there are over a million opiate users in India.
Traffickers have little difficulty in converting opium, which is easily available, to smack or heroine. The entire conversion process takes less than an hour.
The problem has been further compounded by India's location, which lies between the Golden Crescent (Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan) and the Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Thailand and Laos), which contribute to approximately 70 per cent of world's illicit poppy cultivation.
ANI