Srinagar, July 22 -- Jammu and Kashmir continues to grapple with an alarming substance abuse crisis, with official figures revealing that in 2023, more than one drug addict entered IMHANS Kashmir every minute, while one entered GMC Jammu's de-addiction facility roughly every two minutes.

The disturbing trend has continued into 2024, with data up to June 30 confirming one patient per minute in Kashmir and one every 3 minutes in Jammu.

The figures were disclosed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in Parliament in a written reply on Tuesday, based on patient admissions at government-run Addiction Treatment Facilities across the Union Territory.

According to the official data, IMHANS Kashmir, the primary de-addiction centre ...