Concerned over reports of rising substance abuse among young people in Ladakh, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has urged the region’s youth to shun drugs, calling addiction a destructive habit that brings only suffering and describing recovery as an act of courage and determination.
Moved by conversations with young Ladakhis about friends struggling with drug addiction, the Dalai Lama, who is camping in Leh, has appealed to the region’s youth to reject substance abuse and described addiction as a destructive habit that brings only suffering.
In a message issued after interacting with young Ladakhis in recent weeks, the Dalai Lama said several youngsters had shared concerns about friends battling drug addiction. He said it was important to understand the harmful consequences of drug use and recognise it as a destructive habit. “By reflecting on its consequences, you will see that it brings only suffering”, he said.
The Dalai Lama praised those who have sought treatment and remained committed to recovery, saying overcoming addiction requires “real courage and determination”. He added that he admired everyone who had made the effort to overcome the problem.
Calling the youth of Ladakh his “young spiritual brothers and sisters”, the Tibetan spiritual leader said he felt it was his responsibility to urge them to refrain from substance abuse. He expressed hope and prayers that those struggling with addiction would overcome their problems and go on to lead healthy, meaningful and happy lives.
“I feel it is my responsibility to urge the youth of Ladakh to refrain from substance abuse. I pray that all who are struggling will overcome such problems and soon come to lead healthy, meaningful, and happy lives”, the Dalai Lama wrote in his appeal.
The message also linked the fight against addiction with mental well-being. The Dalai Lama said lasting happiness comes from peace of mind rather than wealth or power and stressed the importance of cultivating compassion, honesty, patience and warm-heartedness to overcome negative emotions such as anger, fear and stress. He said helping others and developing inner strength were essential to building a meaningful and fulfilling life.
The Dalai Lama, in his message, wrote “In recent weeks, I have had occasion to interact with many young Ladakhis—both boys and girls. Many of them asked me how to find happiness and how to overcome disturbing emotions such as anger, stress and fear”.
“In my response, I highlighted how our fundamental purpose in life is to seek happiness, and that true joy comes not from the accumulation of wealth or power, but from peace of mind. This we can achieve by training our thoughts, developing warm-heartedness, and helping others—that is, showing compassion on a daily basis”, he added.