The ills of drug abuse seem to be shadowing the length and breadth of our country withthe Central and every State Government fighting against the menace of substance abuse. The debilitating impact of drug trade and drug abuse is an immediate and serious concern for India.
As the globe grapples with the menace of escalating Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and an ever accessible drug market, the consequences leave a generational imprint on public health and even national security. Article 47 of the Constitution makes it a duty of the State to regard the raising of the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people and the improvement of public health as among its primary duties and in particular the State shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health. The State has a responsibility to address the root causes of this predicament and develop effective intervention strategies to ensure that India’s younger population, which is particularly vulnerable to substance abuse, is protected and saved from such menace. This is particularly because substance abuse is linked to social problems and can contribute to child maltreatment, spousal violence, and even property crime in a family.
Despite the efforts of the State, an unprecedented scale of coordination and profit seeking has sustained this menace so hard hitting and multifaceted that it causes suffering cutting across age groups, communities, and regions. Worse than suffering and pain, is the endeavour to profit from it and use the proceeds thereof for the committing of other crimes against society and the State such as conspiracy against the State and funding terrorist activities. Profits from drug trafficking are increasingly used for funding terrorism and supporting violence.
From heroin and synthetic drugs to prescription medication abuse, India is grappling with an expanding drug trade and a rising addiction crisis. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s 2019 Report (MoSJE 2019 Report) on ‘Magnitude of Substance Use in India’ revealed that nearly 2.26 crore people use opioids in India.
It was also borne out that substance use exists in all the population groups; however, adult men bear the brunt of substance use disorders. After alcohol, cannabis and opioids are the next most commonly used substances in India. About 2.8% of the population (3.1 crore individuals) reported having used cannabis and its products, of which 1.2% (approximately 1.3 crore persons) was illegal cannabis and its products.
Alarmingly, the rate of opioid dependence is pacing at an alarming rate, partly due to the ongoing narcotic trade across the country’s borders and their consequent ease of availability. According to the MoSJE 2019 Report, there are approximately 77 lakh problem opioid users – the Report defines “problem users” as those using the drug in harmful or dependent pattern in India. More than half of 77 Lakh problem opioid users in India are spread throughout the States of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Orissa.
Studies across the globe suggest that easy access to narcotic substances, peer pressure, and mental health challenges particularly in the context of academic pressure and family dysfunction could be significant contributors to this disturbing trend. Addiction at a young age can derail academic, professional and personal aims, leading to long-term socio-economic instability of almost an entire generation. The psychological impact of drug abuse, including depression, anxiety, and violent tendencies, further exacerbates the problem.
The reasons behind this rise in juvenile addiction are complex. Peer pressure, lack of parental affection, care and guidance, stress from academic pressures and the easy availability of drugs contribute to this alarming trend. In many cases, adolescents resort to drugs as a form of escapism, trying to cope with personal and emotional issues.
Preventing drug addiction among adolescents requires a concerted effort from multiple stakeholders: parents and siblings, schools and the community. Given the disturbing rise in adolescent drug use, urgent interventions are needed.
The MoSJE 2019 Report found that only one among four persons suffering from dependence on illicit drugs had ever received any treatment and only one in twenty persons with illicit drug dependence ever received any in-patient treatment. Given the scale of the issue, there is need for a more comprehensive view of the solutions to the grave problem.
Parents have a crucial role in the prevention of drug abuse among adolescents. Parental awareness, communication, and support are key in mitigating the risk of drug addiction. The first step in the effective preventive leap should start within the household.
In our view, the most important yearning of children is love and affection and a sense of security emanating from parents and family. Domestic violence and discord between parents; lack of time being spent by parents with children due to various reasons and compensating the same by pumping pocket money are some of the reasons why young adolescents are being veered towards escapism and substance abuse. Affectionate and friendly conversations between parents and children and a continuous assessment of the direction in which a child is proceeding is a duty which each parent must undertake. This is to build a sense of emotional security around a child for, in our view, an emotionally secure child would not become vulnerable and be lured towards substance abuse as a possible path towards seeking what is lacking in life.
No longer should drug abuse be treated as a taboo that parents disengage from. Instead, open discussions about drug use and its ill consequences will provide parents and children a safe space and equip children with the knowledge to help themselves out of peer pressure.
Of equal importance is the need for schools and colleges to aid the government programs in educating students about the perils of drug abuse. They must include prevention of drug abuse in their curriculum, focusing on the physical, emotional, and legal consequences of drug abuse. Naturally, all efforts should be backed by scientific evidence and experiential learning. It is an urgent need that the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s framework of National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction and other programs are given a boost and truly imbibed in drug education programs run by schools and colleges in the country.
Local communities should work with NGOs and law enforcement agencies to create awareness campaigns that address the risks of drug abuse with a special focus on schools and youth centres. Either through awareness campaigns, community outreach or peer education, communities can play a critical role in creating knowledgeable safe space that curb the use of drugs.
The National Legal Services Authority and State Legal Authorities must devise awareness programs and implement them particularly in vulnerable regions of the States and territories more exposed to drug menace.
There is a need for more synergies along the lines of Joint Action Plan on “Prevention of Drugs and Substance Abuse among Children and Illicit Trafficking” developed by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in collaboration with Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
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