Teenage seems to be the most joyous yet
testing times in a person’s life. Here in this stage young adults come to terms
with puberty, change in physiology and varied experiences of life that are
pitched like a curve ball. One may hit a home run while some others get
strike-out. Drugs and other narcotic substances have become such curve balls in
this age of globalization and modernization. In a country like India we try to
put a curtain on anything that would possibly “corrupt” the youth that’s the
reason why India has no sensitization programs about drug abuse in schools/colleges
or for children out of school. In India the major bracket of population falling
in the youth segment hence incidence of drug abuse among children and
adolescents is higher than the general population. Let’s see some facts and
figures:
·
In India 20 million children a
year and nearly 55,000 children a day are drawn into a tobacco usage
·
According to a UN report, one
million heroin addicts are registered in India, and unofficially there are as
many as five million
·
63.6 % of patients coming in
for treatment were introduced to drugs at a young age below 15 years
·
13.1% of the people involved in
drug and substance abuse in India, are below 20 years
·
Of all alcohol, cannabis and
opium users 21%, 3% and 0.1% are below the age of eighteen
·
An emerging trend about child
drug abuser is the use of a cocktail of drugs through injection, and often
sharing the same needle, which increases their risk of HIV infection. Overall
0.4% and 4.6% of total treatment seekers in various states were children
·
Teenagers who at times done
have access to high quality drugs will use volatile substances easily found in
corner stores such as cough syrups, pain relief ointments, glue, paint,
gasoline and cleaning fluids
No doubt these misguided youth are
herded by some bad influences or they must be experimenting and forming
identity. But most of them are dragged and drugged because of “Acceptance”.
Drugs, alcohol and other narcotics have become a source of acceptance for some
to become cool, radicle and respected. Cannabis, cocaine, alcohol and ecstasy
more than drugs have become sub-cultures where in thousands and lakhs of youths
are pooled in with or without their consent. Few of contributory sources other
than peer pressure could be blindly following cultures of the west or imitating
favorite artist/idols (especially rock and metal bands). Another major source
of drugs and substance abuse is trying to escape the reality. In recent days
developments in the contemporary music scenarios like Electronic Dance Music
(EDM) and Rave culture have brought the idea of drugs tagged along with them.
Parties and music concerts are the hotspots of drug use.
Peer pressure generically known as “influence
from members of one's peer group”. For instance, A friend of mine was a part of
this vicious set-up where in in order to get accepted in a “cool group” of
junior college she smoked a dozen of cigarettes in a week hence gaining their
trust but in a later epiphany it struck her that it’s a sheer waste of health,
resources(money) and most importantly peace of mind.
She learnt things the hard way as in
her case several others might’ve faced even worse symptoms including rejection,
stress, depression, severe withdrawals and the worst of all suicide/death. A
bright life full of promises turned into nothingness just because they weren’t
aware of the honey traps and sweet tongues of those bad influencers manipulating
them.
The bottom-line I want to address
through this article to all the youths, adults, academicians, parents and
policy makers out there reading this article is that matters as grave as drugs
and substance abuse require to be dealt with patience pre and post use also
there should be a separate curriculum in schools in order to generate
awareness. Lessons could include theoretical and practical modules that make
children from the age of 14-20 years know the common forms of such drugs and
also stimulate situation wherein they can turn down such substances without any
social dilemma. There shouldn’t be discrimination or finger pointing to the
ones who are affected more to that they should be brought back on track by
acting as a confidant and supporting their decision to come clean. So, if you
have experienced peer pressure related to drugs and substance abuse first hand
then, sympathize and if not empathize with the victim bring a change in their
life. There are a lot of sources of recreation and socialization above and
beyond recreational drugs such as sports, arts, theater etc. The least we can
do as humans is “humanize” with our fellow homo sapiens.
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