Monday, June 26: Srinagar In light of the disturbing rise in drug abuse and trafficking in J&K, the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking provided a vital forum for bringing together religious leaders, addiction specialists, and members of the general public.
Recognising the critical need to tackle this worsening situation, these many parties came together to plan an all-encompassing, multi-pronged approach to curbing drug demand.
The importance of religion in combating the negative effects of drugs was the main topic of discussion. One prominent theme that emerged from these conversations was the need of using Friday sermons as a forum to address this critical topic. Given the large number of people who listen to sermons every Friday, it was emphasised that discussing drugs in these sermons may have a major effect on changing people’s minds and eventually reducing the demand for drugs. In light of the critical nature of the topic at hand, it was emphasised that such conversations must take place during Friday sermons.
Syed Majid Jehangir, chief executive officer of the Wakf Board, was one of the notable presenters. He stressed that all Ulema have an obligation to help society by discouraging people from engaging in harmful behaviour. Jehangir called narcotics the “worst of evils,” emphasising their destructive effects on young people and on society as a whole. He used Islamic beliefs to argue that illegal drugs ruin people’s “character, soul, and body” and are thus the source of all evil.
It sends a strong message, according to Dr. Yasir Hussain Rather, In-Charge of the Drug De-Addicition and Treatment Centre at SMHS Hospital, that these 39 religious scholars are determined and committed to fighting this serious social issue. Their presence “highlights the gravity of the problem and the critical need to bring together disparate voices and perspectives to bring about positive change,” he added. In addition, he thanked the community effort ‘Bridging the Gap’ for its contributions to lowering demand.
The religious leaders emphasised the need of parental role modelling. In order to assist young people from giving in to social pressure and the temptation of freely available drugs, they stressed the need of surrounding them with good influences and providing them with sufficient moral education. The experts urged the people not to lose faith by noting that wine was widely available and offered at gatherings throughout the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). On the Prophet’s command, however, people voluntarily gave up and threw away their alcohol and other drugs. They wished the same kind of change would happen in J&K, with young people there rejecting drugs and alcohol.
Other important persons’ perspectives were also shared during the occasion. Mohammad Aijaz, the Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar, pointed out that the rising drug misuse and crime rates go hand in hand. Addiction psychiatrist Dr. Fazl e Roub said that it is just as crucial to work on reducing drug demand as it is to reduce drug production. He proposed learning from places like Iran, where medication availability hasn’t stopped successful demand control initiatives.
Dr. Mohammad Maqbool, head of the psychiatry department, stressed the need of getting the word out to mosques and families via sermons and discussions on de-addiction seminars. He thanked the religious leaders for agreeing to participate in the department’s anti-drug effort and for accepting the department’s invitation.
