Srinagar, April 14 -- The menace of drugs in Jammu and Kashmir has become one of the gravest threats to the region's social fabric. What makes it particularly alarming is the deliberate targeting of youngsters, the very segment of society that should be shaping the future. Instead, they are being pushed into a spiral of addiction that robs them of their potential, weakens families and destabilizes communities. This is not a random occurrence but a calculated effort by smuggling networks and peddlers who thrive on exploitation and destruction.

Drug addiction is not just a personal tragedy; it is a collective wound. Every young life lost to narcotics is a blow to society's strength. The peddlers who infiltrate schools, colleges and neighbo...