Srinagar, Jun 15: Excessive social media exposure, unchecked internet influence and isolation have emerged as major triggers behind the growing drug and substance abuse among school students in Kashmir, an empirical research study submitted to District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) Srinagar has revealed.
The action research project, conducted by Dr Sameena Wani, presently Principal of Government Girls Higher Secondary School Kothibagh, Srinagar, highlights how changing social behaviour among adolescents, shaped increasingly by digital platforms and weakening social values, is pushing many young people towards substance abuse.
According to the study, titled “Drug and Substance Abuse in Secondary and Higher Secondary School Students of district Srinagar – An Empirical Study for Prevention and Intervention”, the internet and social media have significantly altered the emotional and psychological environment of adolescents in Kashmir, particularly after prolonged lockdowns and social isolation.
According to the research accessed by Rising Kashmir, the rapid penetration of social media into the lives of young students, coupled with declining parental engagement and weakening traditional value systems, has created “fertile ground” for drug abuse and other harmful behaviours.
The study warns that Kashmir’s younger generation is increasingly vulnerable to online influence, emotional distress and social alienation, making early intervention and counselling more important than ever before.
Dr Wani’s research stresses that the growing addiction crisis cannot be tackled through enforcement alone and requires collective efforts involving schools, parents, healthcare professionals and community institutions.
The study describes schools as crucial spaces for prevention and rehabilitation where teachers can identify vulnerable students, spread awareness and help cultivate emotional resilience and ethical values among adolescents.
It further underlines the importance of confidentiality and compassionate support for students dealing with substance abuse problems, while cautioning against social stigma and isolation.
Calling for urgent societal action, the study urges communities to rebuild Kashmir’s traditional foundations of brotherhood, wisdom, tolerance and moral responsibility to protect future generations from falling deeper into addiction, crime and hopelessness.
“While schools cannot solve every social problem, they can play a transformative role in fighting ignorance, promoting awareness and guiding students away from destructive influences emerging from both social realities and the digital world,” the study reads.
