SRINAGAR: To mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, a significant awareness and interactive event was held today at SKIMS MCH Bemina, Srinagar.

The mega event was held under the aegis of the newly established Advanced Centre for Mental Health and Addiction Medicine with support from Addiction Treatment Facility, under the Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, in collaboration with Narcotics Control Bureau and Group on Concerned Citizens (GCC).

The programme was organised in collaboration with key stakeholders, including experts from the Department of psychiatry, JK Police, Narcotics Control Bureau, Education Department, Drug Control Department and other departments.

The event started with deliberation on the theme of today's program "Breaking the Chains: Prevention, Treatment and Recovery for All" which was graced by eminent speakers and delegates from all walks of life.

Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Javid Ahmad Dar, was the chief guest on the occasion. He addressed the persistent stigma surrounding substance use. He strongly advocated for recognizing addiction as a medical disorder and urged society to offer compassionate care, dignity and reintegration to the affected individuals instead of discrimination.

Javid Dar emphasized the importance of maintaining mental health and building willpower to strengthen individuals against the challenges of drug abuse. This focus can help the individuals develop resilience and overcome adversity.

Khursheed Ahmad Ganai, guest of honour, shed light on the alarming rise in substance use in the region. Keeping in view the current data and trends, he emphasized the need for multisectoral collaboration and urgent policy-level interventions to combat the issue.

Dr. Mohd Ashraf Ganaie, Director SKIMS, called attention to the genetic and biological underpinnings of substance use disorders. He emphasized the need for a deeper scientific understanding of addiction and supported a shift in perception from behavioral blame to neurobiological insight.

DIG Civil Defence Srinagar, Imtiyaz Hussain Mir, spoke about the importance of demand reduction alongside the police's vital role in supply control. He advocated for addressing the root causes of substance use, particularly among youth and building resilience against failure and rejection.

Dr. Fazl Qadir Parray, Principal SKIMS Medical College and Hospital, stressed the need for evidence-based treatment approaches in alignment with this year's international theme. He highlighted the importance of coordinated efforts, research and a patient-centered care model for sustainable recovery.

The event began with a warm welcome address by Professor Abdul Majid, Head of the Department of Psychiatry and Organising Chairman of the event.

In his remarks, he highlighted the collective responsibility required to address the growing issues of substance use with special focus on improving the access to care, controlling supply chain, awareness and advocacy, breaking the stigma and shame, collaboration of concerned stakeholders and role of meditation and healthy life styles for preventing youth resorting to drug addiction.

Dr. Nizam-ud-din Dar, Organising Secretary of the event, provided a detailed overview of the addiction services currently operational at SKIMS MCH and the Prison Hospital. He reviewed the progress, made so far, acknowledged the existing challenges and underscored the need for further strengthening of de-addiction and rehabilitation services at both facilities.

In addition to the expert talks, undergraduate students presented posters on themes related to substance use. The activity was aimed at promoting awareness and encouraging creative academic engagement with the topic. The top three posters were selected by a jury pane and the winning students were felicitated during the event in recognition of their efforts and contributions. The first prize was awarded to Syed Rimsha Andrabi, Final Year MBBS student, second to Sheikh Aiman Amin, Final Year MBBS student while Hibba Ishaq, a second year MBBS student, clinched the third position.

Following the inauguration and thematic segment, a panel discussion brought together the experts from diverse backgrounds to deliberate on integrated strategies for tackling drug abuse in Jammu & Kashmir.

The panellists included Dr. Mushtaq A. Margoob, Senior psychiatrist and internationally acclaimed mental health professional, Dr. Farooq A. Kaloo Mr. Abhishek Sharma Narcotics bureau Srinagar, Dr. Fiaz Maqbool Fazili, Dr. Zubair Saleem, Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad Bhat Professor and Head of Department SPM and Shabir Ahmad Pandit, Assistant Drug Controller, Kashmir.

The discussion focused on practical steps towards policy development, community outreach, interdepartmental coordination and healthcare strengthening.

A common consensus emerged on the need for collaborative frameworks to ensure eradication of drug abuse from the Union Territory. The famous slogan "Prevention is better than Cure" was seen to be the main mantra to eradicate this menace with importance of social values and indigenous religious practices as the strongest coping mechanism to be encouraged in our society.