Dimensions of Drug Abuse in Kashmir: a Study of Anantnag District: a Sociological Perspective

The phenomenon of drug addiction has been existing in the society since times immemorial but in the recent years it has taken the shape of an epidemic which has affected the entire social structure and become one of the most heinous and sinister problems that has had serious consequences in terms of the functionality of social order. In the contemporary societies drug addiction is seen as an asylum from the complexities of lives which manifest in the form of stress, strain and frustration which is an outcome of various sociological phenomena like unemployment, weakening of social institutions, failure of state etc. Nevertheless, drug abuse has been prevalent in Kashmir society. It functioned as an institution in the form of Takayas. However, over a period of time there has been a significant socio-economic transformation of Kashmir society. The change has been effected in the micro structures like marriage, family, religion and on the other hand there have been devastating ramifications of the recent political uncertainty emanated from the developments of 1980s emergence of militancy.