New Delhi: An estimated 7.5 crore Indians are drug addicts and the number is going up significantly, spreading to semi-urban and backward areas, according to official figures.
"Drug and alcohol abuse is becoming an area of concern as this is increasing while traditional moorings, social taboos, emphasis on self-restraint and pervasive control and discipline of the joint family and community are eroding", senior officials of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said.
As per the National Survey on Extent, Pattern and Trends of Drug abuse in India conducted by the Centre in collaboration with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the current prevalence rates within the age group of 12-18 years was Alcohol (21.4 per cent), Cannabis (three), Opiates (0.7) and any illicit drug (3.6 per cent).
The survey indicated a high concentration of drug addiction in certain social segments and high-risk groups, such as, commercial sex workers, transportation workers and street children.
Also the usage is higher in North Eastern states/border areas and opium growing regions of the country.
Altogether, 40,697 males within the age-group of 12-60 years were interviewed and information on various aspects of drug abuse was obtained.
The National Survey, the Ministry sources said, also indicates the prevalence of drug abuse among 371 women out of the sample size of 4,648 persons which is eight per cent.
It is estimated that there are about 6.25 crore alcoholics, 90 lakh Cannabis and 2.5 lakhs opiates and nearly 10 lakh illicit drug users in the country.
This project had three major components viz National Household Survey, Rapid Assessment Survey and Drug Abuse Monitoring System with sub-studies on drug abuse among rural population, prison population, women, and in border areas.
Concerned over wider ramifications of the spurt in drug abuse, government has put into operation a multi-pronged strategy involving motivational counselling, social-reintegration and building awareness about the ill effects of drug abuse, the officials said.
The drug abuse prevalence is uneven in the country. A high level of alcohol abuse was reported from North East, high cannabis use from North East and Eastern regions and high opiate use in North East, North and Western region.
While Buprenophine, propoxyphene and heroin were commonly injected drugs, sharing of needles among IDUs is common and on an average with three partners per person, it said.
However, the Ministry sources said there is no authentic data to indicate that there is a growing menace of drug addiction in the country particularly among children and students as no timeline data for benchmarking is available.
Nevertheless, they said students at the secondary/higher secondary level are vulnerable to slipping into drug abusing behavious due to distress factors and peer influence.
It was felt that educating the people on the ill effects of drug abuse through appropriate inputs in the school curricula can help reduce the element of risk of succumbing to this vice, the sources said adding that efforts were on to
changing the curricula accordingly.
The Scheme for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse is being implemented through 350 NGOs for running 387 De-addiction Centres and 52 Counselling Centres all over the country for providing facilities like treatment, rehabilitation Services and conducting awareness programmes fo victims of substance addiction,they said.
To tackle the menace, the Ministry has adopted a two-pronged strategy - supply and demand reduction.
While supply reduction is under the purview of the Enforcement Agencies the demand reduction strategy is under the purview of the Ministry, sources said, drug abuse is not only a problem arising out of the availability and supply side of such intoxicating drinks and drugs but has a great deal to do with the social conditions which create the demand for or the need for consumption of
such substances.
"The vulnerability of modern society plays a catalytic role in promoting the consumption and abuse of narcotic and psychotropic drugs", officials said adding that findings of studies and surveys indicate the relationship of drug abuse with the socio-economic conditions or the social dynamics of the population.
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