The problem of drugs and addiction is becoming increasingly serious in the country. The situation is so bad that even small children are becoming victims of it. A large school survey conducted in 10 Indian cities has revealed that children are starting to use drugs much earlier than expected, with the average age being just 12.9 years, with some starting as early as 11 years old. This number may be even higher, as most children admitted that they would give false answers when asked about drug use.
Survey conducted in 10 cities including Delhi, Ranchi and Lucknow
One in seven school students has used a psychoactive substance at least once, according to a report published this month in the National Medical Journal of India. The study included 5,920 students from Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Imphal, Jammu, Dibrugarh and Ranchi, whose average age was 14.7 years.
15 percent students have used drugs
The research found that 15.1% of these students had used a drug at some point in their lives, while 10.3% had used it in the last year and 7.2% had used it in the last month. The most commonly used substances were opioids (2.8%), cannabis (2%) and inhalants (1.9%), followed by tobacco (4%) and alcohol (3.8%), with the majority of opioids used as over-the-counter medications.
This multi-city study was conducted by Dr. Anju Dhawan, Head of the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, AIIMS, Delhi, in collaboration with medical colleges of Chandigarh, Dibrugarh, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Srinagar, Mumbai, Imphal, Hyderabad and Ranchi. The research found that 11th-12th grade students were twice as likely to use substances as 8th grade students. These boys were found to have higher use of tobacco and cannabis, while girls were not far behind, with higher use of inhalants and pharmaceutical opioids.
More than half of students say they would hide drug use
However, the survey also revealed that more than half of students said they would hide their drug use or addiction if asked, suggesting the real number may be much higher. The survey also showed a link between drug addiction and emotional distress. Among those who used drugs in the past year, 31% were struggling with psychological problems, while this figure was 25% among those who did not use drugs. Significant differences were also seen in behavioral problems, hyperactivity and emotional symptoms.