Increasing Drug Abuse amongst Indian Youth

Introduction Drug abuse continues to emerge as a strategy among youth to cope with the problems of unemployment, neglect, violence and sexual abuse. At the same time, there is considerable abuse of drugs among socially integrated young people, in particular in the industrialized world. This may be attributed in part to the fact that significant portions of Indias youth population are being exposed to a culture that appears to be more tolerant towards the use of drugs. The data available presents a situation of concern in terms of the abuse of drugs among young people in almost every region in the country. Analysing the Research Problem As new drugs find their way into urban India, they seek a dash of chemical comfort what are easy to procure, cheap to buy and which allows them to navigate under the radar of social and legal scrutiny. From metros to Tier II towns, the conventional understanding of who does which drug, where, how and why is being turned on its head as substance abuse becomes a part of everyday social activity. It's a trend that's been captured by the new World Drug Report (WDR) 2010 of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The report indicates a shift towards new drugs and new markets, increased drug use in developing countries and the growing abuse of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) along with prescription drugs. The National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) report that around 32,000 drug abusers turn up every year and 21,000 more get community care. Their data shows the drug users have increased from 22 per cent to 42 per cent between 2000 and 2009, with a large portion of the cases reported as youngsters between the ages 15-27. Delhi gets high on ecstasy, Mumbai swears by ice, ketamine is Chennai's poison, Lucknow raves on yaba and Calcutta dotes on meth, all of which are lethal drugs.

In absence of national studies, "70 million" is still being touted as the magic number. Meantime, opium and heroin are on a slide. Synthetic drugs are muscling in. What's more, they are being manufactured surreptitiously across the country. The "new urban junkie" has got a whole new profile: young, educated, working, upper and middle classes. The new affordable, discrete drugs appeal to them both recreationally and occupationally. It's a new landscape that's staring India in the face. Unfortunately, it might just take a long time for a nation busy thumbing the pages of the past to make sense of a new reality calling for urgent attention. Increasing Drug Usage in Schools School children seem to be experimenting with a whole range of drugs. A 2010 study on 2,000 Shimla school students by the NGO Youth Enlightening the Society along with Indira Gandhi Medical College, points in that direction: over 55 per cent boys and 24 per cent girls are regular drug users, with 29 per cent hooked to cannabis, cough syrups and opium. Age 15 emerges as the most vulnerable age of initiation in yet another study at five professional colleges of Berhampur in Orissa in 2008, where peer pressure pushed 59 per cent students toward drug abuse. In a 2004 study at two premier medical colleges in Kolkata, "friends" emerged as the primary influencers with 47 per cent students who are into problematic drug use.

Incidence of Drug Abuse A number of surveys and clinical studies are available which throw light on the prevalence of different drugs. There is scientific evidence in several studies that college and university campuses in the country have a sizeable prevalence rate. It is often presumed that students pursuing generic courses are given to aberrations, including the use of intoxicants. However, this is hardly supported by data. Students pursuing professional courses may be equally susceptible. Interestingly, the extent of drug use among medical students is significant. Studies do bring to light the use of drugs among rural and

urban population; even tribals are not far behind, though there are not much studies available on them. Some recent estimates of the prevalence rate among college and university students are available. Ministry of Social Welfare of the Government of India launched a multi-centre research programme covering several urban centres including Bombay, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jabalpur, Jaipur, Madras and Varanasi. The sample (N =25,000 approximately) covered both male and female students who were pursuing generic as well as professional courses.

Incidence of drug use among college and university students. Consequences of Youth Drug Abuse Young people who persistently abuse drugs often experience an array of problems, including academic difficulties, healthrelated problems (including mental health), poor peer relationships, and involvement with the juvenile justice system. Additionally, there are consequences for family members, the community, and the entire society. Academics: Declining grades, absenteeism from school and other activities, and increased potential for dropping out of school are problems associated with adolescent substance abuse. Hawkins, Catalano, and Miller (1992) cite research indicating that a low level of commitment to education and higher truancy rates appear to be related to substance use among adolescents. Cognitive and behavioral problems experienced by alcohol- and drug-using youth may interfere with their academic performance and also present obstacles to learning for their classmates. Physical health

Injuries due to accidents (such as car accidents), physical disabilities and diseases, and the effects of possible overdoses are among the health-related consequences of teenage drug abuse. Disproportionate numbers of youth involved drugs face an increased risk of death through suicide, homicide, accident, and illness. The Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) study reports trends in people seeking emergency department treatment related to illegal drug use or non-medical use of legal drugs. Preliminary 1994 estimates indicate drug-related emergency department episodes for youth ages 12 to 17 increased by 32 percent from 2003 to 2009. This increase was greater than for any of the older age groups reported. Significantly, emergency department visits related to marijuana/hashish for youth ages 12 to 17 increased 50 percent between 2003 and 2009. Two hundred and thirty-one youth between the ages of 12 and 17 died of drug abuse in 2009. Transmission of HIV/AIDS primarily occurs through exposure to body fluids of an infected person during sexual contact or through sharing of un-sterile drug-injection equipment. Another primary means of transmission is from mothers to infants during pregnancy or the birth process. Many substance-abusing youth engage in behavior that places them at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases. This may include the actual use of psychoactive substances (particularly those that are injected) or behavior resulting from poor judgment and impulse control while experiencing the effects of moodaltering substances. These limited examples illustrate the catastrophic health-related consequences of drug abuse among adolescents. Besides personal and family distress, additional healthcare costs and loss of future productivity place burdens on the community. Mental health Mental health problems such as depression, developmental lags, apathy, withdrawal, and other psychosocial dysfunctions frequently are linked to substance abuse among adolescents. Substanceabusing youth are at higher risk than nonusers for mental health problems, including depression, conduct problems, personality disorders, suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, and suicide. Marijuana use, which is prevalent among youth, has been shown to interfere with short-term memory, learning, and psychomotor skills. Motivation and psychosexual/emotional development also may be influenced. Peers Drug-abusing youth often are alienated from and stigmatized by their

peers. Adolescents using drugs also often disengage from school and community activities, depriving their peers and communities of the positive contributions they might otherwise have made. Families In addition to personal adversities, the abuse of drugs by youth may result in family crises and jeopardize many aspects of family life, sometimes resulting in family dysfunction. Both siblings and parents are profoundly affected by drug-involved youth. Drug abuse can drain a family's financial and emotional resources. Social and economic consequences The social and economic costs related to youth substance abuse are high. They result from the financial losses and distress suffered by drug-related crime victims, increased burdens for the support of adolescents and young adults who are not able to become selfsupporting, and greater demands for medical and other treatment services for these youth. Delinquency There is an undeniable link between drug abuse and delinquency. Arrest, adjudication, and intervention by the juvenile justice system are eventual consequences for many youth engaged in alcohol and other drug use. It cannot be claimed that drug abuse causes delinquent behavior or delinquency causes drug use. However, the two behaviors are strongly correlated and often bring about school and family problems, involvement with negative peer groups, a lack of neighborhood social controls, and physical or sexual abuse. Possession and use of drugs are illegal for all youth. Beyond that, however, there is strong evidence of an association between alcohol and other drug use and delinquent behavior of juveniles. Drug abuse is associated with both violent and income-generating crimes by youth. This increases fear among community residents and the demand for juvenile and criminal justice services, thus increasing the burden on these resources. Gangs, drug trafficking, prostitution, and growing numbers of youth homicides are among the social and criminal justice problems often linked to adolescent drug abuse.

Newspaper Headlines

Alarming rise in drug abuse among youth, say police.

Article in Times of India on Aug 29, 2011

Rise in drug abuse, illicit trafficking ring alarm bells.

Article from the Hindu on July 26, 2010.

Wean youth off drugs.

Article from the Hindu on December 2, 2010.

Drug abuse has done to Punjab what even terrorism could not do.
Article from the Indian Express on June 27, 2010.

Magazine Features

India Today identified this problem and did a cover story on the urban drug user in India on August 30, 2010.

Solutions and Suggestions

More de-addiction centres. Convergence between ministry of social justice, health, women and child development, HRD, sports and youth affairs.

Consequences of drug abuse in school curriculum. Awareness for teachers and parents.

Vigilance on social networking sites. Periodic national surveys on drug abuse and monitoring chemists and treatment-seekers.

Drug demand reduction and preventive policies. New treatment modality: from detox and rehab to substitution therapy.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
ASSIGNMENT I

P. SRUSHTI 080511 FD- VI NIFT,CHENNAI

THANK YOU

BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/109703/cover-story/the-new-urbanjunkie.html?page=2 http://www.tigweb.org/youth-media/panorama/article.html?ContentID=4223 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Alarming-rise-in-drug-abuseamong-youth-say-police/articleshow/6453584.cms http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/06/26/stories/0526134a.htm http://www.unodc.org/pdf/document_1999-01-11_2.pdf

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I wish to convey my gratitude to Mrs. Sai Sangurai, (Associate Professor, Fashion Design Department) for her help and support through the course of this assignment.

CONTENTS:
Introduction to research problem: o Rising Drug Use Among Indian Youth Analysis of research problem o Causes and Effects Analysis of recent events o Newspaper Headlines and Articles

Suggestions and solutions on the research problem.