Substance abuse rising amongst Indian kids

By Dr.Fourkan Ali

Teenagers in Karnataka and Meghalaya show most incidents of abuse of substances like drugs and alcohol

The number of incidents of drug abuse amongst school children is on the rise in comparison to previous years. More and more teenagers seem to be addicted to alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, heroin, inhalants and injectable substances. Karnataka is on top of the charts in drug abuse amongst kids, followed by Andhra Pradesh. Alcohol consumption and use of tobacco by children is highest in Meghalaya, according to a recent study.

Abuse goes beyond alcohol and tobacco, and often also involves cocaine, heroin and opium. A 2012 survey by the health and family welfare ministry statistics of boys aged between 15-19, shows that a shocking 28.6% reported tobacco use and 15% were addicted to alcohol. Girls aged 15-19 showed 5.5% used tobacco while 4% were addicted to alcohol.

This year's Nobel Peace Prize winner and crusader against child labour, Kailash Satyarthi has brought the issue before the Supreme Court and sought an order from the government to draft a national action plan to eliminate drug abuse by children.

Satyarthi's petition cited a recent report, according to which, over 88% children from Karnataka consume alcohol followed by 84.7% in Andhra Pradesh. Chandigarh and Haryana show consumption at 80%. In Delhi, only 23% teenagers consume alcohol while Tripura shows consumption at 35%.

Tobacco abuse by children is highest in Meghalaya at 96.4%, followed by Nagaland at 95.8% and Sikkim at 93.1%. In Uttaranchal 90% children are addicted to tobacco. In Goa only 36.7% consume tobacco, with 69.7% in Delhi.

Cannabis use is highest in children from Uttaranchal at 70%, followed by Haryana with 63.3% and Meghalaya with about 50%. In Goa and Tripura it was lowest at just 1.7%.

68.3% kids of Tripura used inhalants, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 66.5%. In Maharashtra, this numkber stood at 60.6% with 49% in Sikkim. In Haryana, this number stood at 46.7%, in Odisha at 40%, in Delhi and Rajasthan at 39%, in Manipur at 32.3%, and in Meghalaya at 30.9%. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat reported a low 7-8%, with Goa being the lowest at 5%.

In a startling fact, the use of heroin was seen to be highest in Meghalaya at 27.3%, followed by Punjab at 19.3%. Less than 15% children from Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Odisha abuse this drug . In Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal the usage stood at 9-10%.

The use of heroin in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar stood at nil.

Injectable drugs also seem to be popular amongst children, with 88.6% children from Mizoram, followed by Meghalaya and Rajasthan at 25%. In Maharashtra, this number stands at 23.5%, in Punjab at 13%, in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Madhya Pradesh at 11%. In other states the usage stood below 7%..

No child in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Tripura, and Himachal Pradesh uses injectibles.

The study was called 'Assessment Of Pattern, Profile And Correlate Of Substance Use Among Children In India', commissioned by the National Commission For Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and conducted in 27 states by the National Drugs Dependent Treatment Center of the All Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Filing the petition through his NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolon, Satyarthi referred to a WHO report saying drug abuse is proliferating amongst children. His contention was backed by the Planning Commission.

His lawyer HS Phoolka argued before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India HL Dattu that drugs are easily available around schools and are also available on the internet. There appeared to be an upward trend from the previous survey (1998-1999).

Issuing notices to all the states, the top court has sought replies by October 30.

Sources:Website