By M L Satyan

Bengaluru, Aug 2, 2022: Dinakaran, a Tamil daily, carried a half-page article on July 28 that gives surprising information on how today’s youth do not march towards liquor shops, instead go to medical shops and buy cough syrup, surgical spirit, sleeping pills and other medicines meant for psychological patients and use them.

Besides, they also use after-shave lotion and nail polish. They buy Anacin and Saridon tablets, mix them with soft drinks like Coke and Fanta and drink to experience the effects of the drug.

Another shocking news is that the drug addict youth buy condom, dip it in the warm water for some time, fill it with water and drink. This seems to be giving them a ‘kick’ for 10 to 12 hours. Today, one of the fast-selling items in the medical shops seems to be condoms.

Drug addiction is one such serious and disastrous problem that has trapped the young generation of our country rigorously, today if we see the statistics; most of the teenagers in the early age of 17-20 years have been found to be seriously addicted to the unethical substance abuse or drug addiction and these have been mostly are the college and even school going young students. Even the unprivileged and poor children have also been found to be involved in drug abuse/addiction.

As per the International Journal for Current Research the twenty first century witnesses the trait by substance and illicit drug abuse that is considered as a global challenging problem. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimated about seven percent of the global population between the 15-64 age group has been using illicit substances almost in all developing and developed countries suffering with the greatest burning problem of drug users among youth.

The risk factors for the illicit drug abusers may be having biological pre-disposition to drug abuse personality traits the reflect a lack of social bonding, low status of family, family relations, parental care, neglected defective emotional and psychiatric problems, stress and other problems among the youth in the world and particularly in the country like India. In the sociological context drug is a term of habit-forming substance which directly effect upon the human body.

According to Indian National Bar Association Viewpoint, the educational system with a competitive and a non-flexible nature has an impact where youths and students opt for fighting this non flexibility with a state of mind which, if achieved naturally has a good impact on them, but if achieved by harming a self, destroys everything.

With millions of youngsters appearing for various competitions of life, they find a solution out of stress in a form which certainly undermines their lifetime struggle for their goals. With youngsters opting for drugs and anti-depressants to combat stress, not only they march towards putting a blot on their identity, but also on their path breaking hard work.

It is observed that parents’ expectations at home, insulting treatment at schools, colleges, workplaces, among friends and relatives also lead to drug abuse among youngsters who fail to cope up with them. Workplace burden and enmities with colleagues results in deviance among youngsters which later results in disastrous and detrimental effects on the individual.

The present scenario of the Indian society has been entirely changed than the earlier times, now in the urban areas the families are getting nuclear, both the parents are working thus they are unable to give a qualitative time to their kids, importance and faith in moral values have also been reduced in the families, elders are getting neglected, children most of the times look out of their homes for someone to share and express themselves and this also sometimes leads them to involve in the wrong peer groups.

In such conditions youngsters believe that drugs make them forget all their tensions and pressures and make them feel free and devoid of any turmoil. They rather feel better in the numbness caused by the drugs than bearing any tension due to their practical lives.

Vikas, a journalist, in his article titled: “Drug Addiction and Youth in India” mentions, “The parents, elders and friends should always be careful and alert when they observe the following symptoms in any of their known youngster/child:
 Carelessness, reduced interest in studies or work, reduced interaction/communication with others, loss of interest in physical or recreational activities at school/college/workplace/home.
 Constant fatigue, irritation, involved in fights, arguments.
 Gives a sense of becoming a different person probably a pessimistic.
 Get involves in unethical and illegal activities like stealing money, accidents.
 Sudden loss of interest in life, appetite, loss of body weight.
 Sudden sweating and increased sleeping time.”

He further writes, “I suggest these solutions:
Personal Will: To get rid of the drug addiction a personal will is required, until and unless the addicted person does not realize that a blunder has been done with his/her life and life should be brought back on the right path, no one else would be able to help that person.

Support from Family/Friends: Family members should be compassionate and supportive to the person with drug addiction. With love, care and motivation of the parents and the other family members it would be easier for the addicted youngster to get rid of the addiction. Parents, and close friends should listen to the person with patience and give an affectionate help.

Professional Help: Doctors, counselors or rehabilitators should be consulted in order to help the addicted person because they can assist him/her in a more profound way. There should not be any hesitation in explaining the problem to the doctor/counselor.”

As per the Indian government report of June 13, 2021, around 62.5% of India’s working age population is aged between 15 and 59 years, ensuring that India will have a demographic advantage all the way to 2055.

Sadly, the grassroots reality of the youth situation is pathetic. Due to political apathy and non-conducive atmosphere in family and society, the youth energy is getting dissipated and used for destructive purposes. ‘Character building’ must take place at all levels. Every well-wisher of youth has to come forward to support and guide them.