India¡¯s Youth And Substance Abuse: Who Is To Be Blamed?

In the posh locales of South Delhi¡¯s Chattarpur - somewhere between the local basti (illegal slums) and the opulent locality that houses the famous Chattarpur farms - stands a small semi-pucca house. The house doesn¡¯t seem to belong to either of the two areas and yet perfectly fits into the surroundings.

It does not have a front door, just a chained gate and there are unkempt creepers running along the walls of the house

The house looks like it¡¯s still under construction, with heaps of cement and wood lying on the muddy floor that exhibits footprints of all sizes, that assures of a life inside of what seems like an abandoned abode.

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This house is a common spot for the drug peddlers to run their business from. On a visit to this spot, one may encounter young men and women frequenting in and out of the house. The garbage bags thrown out for the street sweeper are littered with used needles and smoked buds.

At the entrance to the lane that leads into the adda, also stands a police control room (PCR) van. The police officers appear too busy with their mobile phones as groups of young people carry away doses of drugs right under their nose.

Kanan (name changed on request), who is still in his first year of college, frequents this adda at least once a week. His parents got divorced when Kanan was only 12 and since then, he lived with his mother until last year when he shifted to a flat with his college friends.

Friends introducing drugs to other friends as a stress-buster or simply, to party harder, is a typical example of the domino effect in the sector of drug addiction.

¡°The first few times were a blur, I think I was 16 or maybe 15. I was really stressed about my exams and my friends made me try it. In college, I was the friend who made his roommates try it,¡± says Kanan.

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The epidemic of substance abuse among the young generations has assumed an alarming dimension in India. Experts say the age of initiation into drugs is getting younger.

A research published by the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, reveals that in India, by the time most children reach the ninth grade, about 50 per cent of them have tried at least one of the illicit drugs.

How are we, as a society putting the youth at risk of substance abuse?

Explaining the multiple risk factors that are associated with drug abuse, Prof. Anju Dhawan, National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), says that risks can be at the level of the child him/herself, friends,family,school or the larger society.

¡°Being around a father who¡¯s an alcoholic or peers who use drugs, feeling lonely in school or being depressed are just a few instances that can lead children into drug abuse.¡±

In a transitional society like India, with rising incomes and easier access to substances, young individuals feel obliged to contribute to their family income and to the society, as soon as possible.

Take the case of India¡¯s exam coaching capital-Kota, wherein thousands of youngsters go to fulfill their dreams of cracking the IITs, NEET, CLAT and what not.

Coupled with parental expectations, counsellors suggest that many teenagers find these to be unbearable pressures, adding that this stress then acts as a stimulant to spur drug abuse.

While Kota had one de-addiction centre in 2009, it now has five to cater to the growing demand.

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The spread of prescription drug abuse in India adds on to the risk factors.

According to United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime(UNODC), India accounts for 10 per cent of the total pharmaceuticals produced in the world. In its report, it noted that the law required all drugs with ¡°abuse potential¡± to be sold only on prescription, but that there was ¡°significant diversion¡± from this.

To tackle the issue of medicine abuse, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, in 2014 came up with the National Policy for Drug Demand Reduction (NPDDR). But a look into our own neighbourhood chemist shops,reveals a complete failure of the guidelines as the pharmaceutics continue to make profits from selling prescription drug cocktails to youngsters.

The medical consequences of prescription drug misuse are serious and severe.Increases in prescription drug misuse over the last 15 years are reflected in increased emergency room visits, overdose deaths associated with prescription drugs, and treatment admissions for prescription drug use disorders, the most severe form of which is addiction.

Prof. Dhawan questions the easy access that we, as a society offer our youngsters to procure drugs and alcohol today.

¡°Despite there being laws that prohibit youngsters below 25 from purchasing alcohol,how many bars and shops do we see that actually demand IDs from kids?¡±

Substance abuse & crime

Reports by the US Drug Enforcement Administration(DEA) suggests, "Substance abuse and delinquency are strongly correlated and often result in involvement with negative peer groups, as well as, problems in school and at home."

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Shahrukh (name changed), a seven-year-old is currently undergoing treatment in a de-addiction centre in Old Delhi. Having still not lost his baby lisp, Shahrukh shares how he and his elder brother¡¯s gang of eleven-year-olds, pickpocketed and robbed people in North East Delhi¡¯s Seemapuri, to attain money for drugs.

A study published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry revealed that of 487 juveniles held for different crimes, over 86 per cent had a history of substance abuse.

Prevention and social inclusion to battle drug abuse

Working on the child¡¯s emotional competence from day one is, according to Prof. Dhawan, a preventive measure that demands attention.

¡°Awareness is necessary but it is not sufficient. Schools must aim to build social and emotional resilience in the child, so that they¡¯re able to handle their emotions well and learn to say no without the fear of being judged,¡± she says.

While it is necessary to educate the child,it is also vital for parents to establish a strong relationship with their kid as opposed to only focusing on the child¡¯s career growth.

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Most young people like to look like each other, talk like each other,follow the norm of what is popular and trending. This behavioural pattern can help tackle the issue as Prof. Dhawan suggests implementation of normative training among children.

¡°It is factually incorrect for the media to say that everyone is consuming drugs today,because that just makes the kids think it is okay for them to try it too. If we are able to instil among the youth,the fact that a majority of the population still doesn¡¯t abuse drugs,there can be a huge change,¡± she says.

Dr. Varsha Mahadik, Senior Psychiatrist, juvenile de-addiction centre, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Hospital, emphasises the need for laws to be stringent regarding the sales of drugs and alcohol to children.

¡°While the school dropouts should be sent back to school after the completion of their treatment, others must be given vocational training to ensure a livelihood,and at the same time keep the youth engaged and sober. It is important to protect the youngsters from the environment that got them addicted in the first place,¡± she adds.

Addressing the consequence of constant ignorance at the hands of the society and government, the UNODC,with an aim to connect drug prevention and social inclusion, urges all to promote-Health for justice,justice for health.

¡°It¡¯s important to ensure that people get the treatment they need, with a focus on health and human rights, because drug use is a disease, not a crime.Addressing drug use also requires stronger communication within families, schools and communities.So let¡¯s ¡®Listen First¡¯ to the children and youth to help them grow healthy and safe,¡± says Mr.Samarth Pathak, Head, Advocacy and Government Affairs (South Asia),UNODC.

Mr. Pathak¡¯s call to action must,indeed raise concerns as now is the time to act upon this humanitarian crisis.It is not only our constitutional duty but a statutory one,to make all efforts to secure the best interests of the youth of our nation.

The writer is a New Delhi-based freelance contributor.