Dr Aftab Jan
The ongoing drive under Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan in Jammu and Kashmir, led with visible resolve by Manoj Sinha, has pushed the issue of drugs from silence into public discussion, yet the most uncomfortable truth still stands in front of us, this crisis is not only imposed from outside, it is also sustained from within, and unless this reality is accepted with honesty, no campaign, no policy, and no enforcement effort can fully succeed, because drugs do not grow in empty spaces, they grow in societies that allow them to grow, they spread in environments where silence is stronger than action, where profit is valued over principles, and where responsibility is constantly shifted instead of being owned, and today the biggest danger is not only the presence of drugs, but the mindset that treats this issue as someone else’s duty, because when a society begins to think that way, it slowly disconnects from its own problems and expects solutions from outside forces that can never fully understand or control what is happening inside homes and communities.
The statement that this fight cannot be won by law alone is not a limitation of the system, it is a direct reflection of reality, because law enforcement can arrest traffickers, seize contraband, and break visible networks, but it cannot monitor every home, every friendship, every conversation, and every moment where a young person is exposed to temptation, addiction does not begin in police records, it begins in curiosity, stress, loneliness, peer pressure, and emotional weakness, and these are areas where only families, teachers, and communities have influence, this is why even the strongest laws struggle when society remains passive, and why even limited enforcement becomes effective when society becomes active, because when people report, when they guide, when they intervene early, the space for drugs begins to shrink, and when they remain silent, that space expands.
Islam provides a clear and structured response to such situations, it does not allow confusion or neutrality, it gives a direct principle that when you see wrong, stop it with your hand, if you cannot then speak against it, and if even that is not possible then at least hate it in your heart, and this last level is described as the weakest form of faith, yet today even this minimum response is fading, people witness wrong, they recognize it, but they choose not to act, they justify their silence by saying it is the duty of police, administration, or some authority, and this mindset has created a culture where responsibility is passed from one person to another until it disappears completely, and in that vacuum, wrong finds space to grow stronger, because evil does not require support to survive, it only requires the absence of resistance, and when good people choose comfort over courage, silence over action, and safety over responsibility, they unknowingly strengthen the very problem they complain about.
One of the most painful realities that must be faced is that this problem is not only external, some among us are directly or indirectly involved in it, some cultivate poppy for quick money, some facilitate supply chains, some ignore illegal activity because it benefits them, and then the same society speaks about awareness and reform, this contradiction weakens the entire movement, because a society cannot fight what it secretly supports, when land that should produce food and growth is used to produce addiction and destruction, it reflects a deeper moral crisis, because this is not just about breaking law, it is about breaking trust with one’s own community, it is about choosing personal gain over collective safety, and this choice has consequences that go far beyond individual profit, it destroys families, it damages youth, and it weakens the entire social structure.
This double standard must end if real change is to happen, because awareness without self-accountability becomes meaningless, when the same individuals who demand strict action are involved in activities that contribute to the problem, their message loses credibility, and without credibility, influence disappears, this is why the first step in this fight must be self-correction, every individual must ask a direct question, am I contributing to this problem in any way, directly or indirectly, am I silent where I should speak, am I ignoring what I should report, am I prioritizing comfort over responsibility, because until these questions are answered honestly, external efforts will remain limited.
Another serious weakness lies in the behavior of those who lead awareness efforts, because many times individuals speak strongly against drugs while continuing habits like cigarette smoking, and this creates confusion in the minds of the youth, because a young mind does not separate substances based on categories, it observes patterns, it sees behavior, and when it sees that certain forms of substance use are accepted among educated and respected individuals, it lowers the barrier for experimentation, nicotine itself is an addictive substance, it works on the brain’s reward system, it releases dopamine, it builds dependence, and it reduces self-control over time, and many individuals who fall into stronger addictions often start with such habits, which means that ignoring tobacco use in anti-drug campaigns leaves the first door open, and when the first door remains open, closing the later doors becomes difficult, this is why those who speak against drugs must first discipline themselves, because credibility is not built by words, it is built by actions, and when actions and words do not align, the message loses its strength before it even reaches the listener.
Drug addiction itself is not a simple habit that can be stopped by advice or fear, it is a complex biological and psychological process that traps the individual, it hijacks the brain’s reward system, it creates artificial pleasure through dopamine spikes, and then it forces the brain to depend on the substance for normal functioning, over time natural sources of happiness lose their effect, the individual feels empty without the substance, decision making becomes weak, self control breaks, and the person enters a cycle where he is aware of the damage but unable to stop, and this is why punishment alone cannot solve the problem, because without addressing the underlying causes and providing proper support, the behavior returns, and the cycle continues.
Families hold a central role in prevention and early intervention, yet many fail at the earliest stage because they ignore warning signs or choose to hide them due to fear of social judgment, sudden behavioral changes, withdrawal from normal activities, irregular sleep patterns, and unexplained financial needs are all signals that require attention, but instead of acting early, many families delay, hoping the issue will resolve on its own, and this delay often turns a manageable situation into a serious crisis, so the first responsibility of families is to replace fear with awareness and silence with communication, because a child who feels understood is more likely to seek help, while a child who feels judged withdraws further into the problem.
Communities must also transform from passive observers into active protectors, because drug networks do not operate in isolation, they depend on local silence, they survive because people choose not to report, and they expand because there is no resistance, but when communities become alert, when they share information responsibly, when they support enforcement efforts instead of avoiding involvement, the space for these networks begins to shrink, and this requires a cultural shift where reporting wrong is seen as responsibility, not interference, because protecting society is a collective duty, not an individual risk.
Youth engagement is another critical factor, because idle time and lack of direction increase vulnerability, a young mind without purpose becomes an easy target for experimentation, while a young mind engaged in structured activities develops discipline and resilience, sports, fitness, and skill based programs are not just extracurricular options, they are protective systems that reduce stress, improve mental health, and build a sense of achievement, but these efforts must be continuous, because occasional events create temporary excitement, while consistent engagement creates long term change, and this is where institutions must play a sustained role.
Educational institutions must move beyond formal lectures and create real understanding, students already know that drugs are harmful, repeating this fact has limited impact, what they need is practical knowledge about how addiction starts, how peer pressure works, how to refuse offers, and how to manage stress in healthy ways, and this requires interactive learning, open discussions, and real life examples, and at the same time teachers must act as role models, because their behavior influences more than their words, and when students see consistency between what is taught and what is practiced, the message becomes strong.
The 100 day campaign must not become a comfort zone where society feels that the system is handling the issue, it must become a trigger that creates permanent awareness and responsibility, because if action is limited to a specific time frame, the problem will return once that period ends, and this is why every day must carry the same urgency, every locality must remain alert, every family must stay aware, and every individual must act when needed, because change is not created by temporary movements, it is created by consistent behavior.
The truth is clear and direct, no outside force will come and fix this problem, no system can fully protect a society that refuses to protect itself, and no campaign can succeed if people continue to prioritize personal gain over collective safety, because this land, these homes, and these children belong to us, and if we allow destruction for the sake of money or convenience, then we become part of the very crisis we claim to fight, and real change will begin only when society stops pretending and starts accepting its role, when individuals correct themselves before correcting others, when silence is replaced with action, and when responsibility is owned instead of being shifted, because only then will this movement move beyond slogans and become a true transformation that protects future generations and restores the strength of society.
The author can be reached at jaanaftaab5@gmail.com
