ATFs functional in all Kashmir districts, 9 in Jammu Officials say actual numbers may be far higher due to stigma Srinagar, Feb 20: The magnitude of the drug abuse crisis in Jammu & Kashmir has come into sharp focus after the government informed the Legislative Assembly on Friday that more than 32,500 persons have registered as drug abuse patients across the Union Territory since 2022. The information was provided in a clubbed reply to Assembly questions raised by MLAs Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah, Surjeet Singh Slathia, Ali Mohammad Sagar and Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Mir. According to official figures, 32,517 patients have been registered at various Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) and Government Medical Colleges across J&K. Of these, 16,759 patients belong to the Kashmir division, while 15,758 patients are from the Jammu division. Among all districts, Srinagar recorded the highest number of cases with 6,100 registered patients, indicating the deep penetration of narcotics in urban centres. Other districts of Kashmir division reported substantial numbers as well. Budgam recorded over two thousand cases, Baramulla and Anantnag also reported heavy caseloads, while Pulwama, Shopian, Kupwara, Bandipora and Ganderbal registered hundreds of patients each at de-addiction facilities. The government said the figures represent only those who sought medical help, and the actual number of drug users could be significantly higher, as many victims remain outside the treatment network due to stigma and lack of awareness. In the Jammu division, treatment centres attached to Government Medical Colleges and district hospitals registered 15,758 patients. GMC Jammu alone accounted for 9,806 patients, the highest in the division. Other districts, including Kathua, Rajouri, Udhampur, Ramban, Doda, Poonch, Kishtwar, Reasi and Samba, also reported hundreds of cases. Health officials said the growing number of registrations partly reflects increasing awareness and willingness among families to seek treatment. The government informed the House that Addiction Treatment Facilities are functional in all districts of Kashmir and in nine districts of Jammu division. In Kashmir, centres are operating at SKIMS, GMC Bemina Srinagar, GMC Anantnag, GMC Baramulla, GMC Handwara and district hospitals of Kulgam, Shopian, Pulwama, Budgam, Ganderbal and Bandipora. Each district hospital has dedicated indoor beds along with outpatient counselling and rehabilitation services, while psychiatrists have been posted in all Government Medical Colleges to supervise treatment. The initiative is being implemented under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan and the Health Department’s de-addiction programme. Responding to queries, the government said there is currently no proposal to establish additional de-addiction and rehabilitation centres in Pulwama and Samba districts. However, it clarified that a rehabilitation centre at Bajwani in Tral (Pulwama) is already functional and catering to patients across the district through counselling, medication and referral services. In Jammu division, an Addiction Treatment Facility at District Hospital Samba has been operational since February 2024, functioning on an outpatient basis with psychiatric consultation, counselling and free medicines. The department said efforts are being intensified through community outreach, counselling and panchayat-level monitoring to identify vulnerable youth. Awareness campaigns are also being conducted through field staff and media, and June 26 is observed annually as the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The government said the strategy now focuses not only on treatment but also on rehabilitation and social reintegration, including counselling and job-linked support. The Assembly reply highlights that while treatment infrastructure has expanded across the Union Territory, the sheer number of registered patients signals that drug addiction has emerged as one of the most serious social and public health challenges facing Jammu and Kashmir today.