On world health day, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Friday has sought death penalty for drug traffickers.

“Drug trafficking is destroying our young generation and it deserves exemplary punishment,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement.

Dr Hassan said unseen forces are involved in peddling and promoting drugs in Kashmir. “They are using their touts and agents who receive financial and material assistance for trafficking drugs. Youth are particularly targeted and initially drugs are gifted to them till they become addicts.”

“There is a strong network of drug peddlers who make these drugs available with fruit sellers to tea shops and gyms and they enjoy the patronage of certain forces behind the curtain,” he said.

The DAK President said the menace of drug addiction has engulfed a vast majority of our population.

“A recent report by the National Drug Dependence Treatment centre of AIIMS New Delhi has revealed that JK has 10 lac drug abusers. According to a survey from Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences 90 percent of drug abusers in Kashmir are using heroin,” he said.

“Young people are dying because of heroin abuse in Kashmir,” he said adding “more heroin addicts are dying now because they have moved from snorting (inhaling through the nose) to injectables making the drug even more lethal.”

Dr Nisar said every day we see young coming to hospitals with heart attack and strokes and drug abuse is a big factor.

“Drug abuse is responsible for hepatitis epidemic in Kashmir. Drug addicts are at a higher risk of contracting hepatitis B, C and HIV and have the potential to spread these deadly infections to others,” he said.