Keekli Bureau, 7th November, 2019, Shimla
A national survey to collect state wise data on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use was conducted in the country during the year 2018. The report presents major findings of the survey in terms of proportion of Indian population using various substances and those affected by substance use disorders. This survey indicates that there are wide variations in the extent and prevalence of substance use across different states and between various substances. As per the report, prevalence of opioid use problem is existing in majority of the States. However, the top ten states where people need help for opioid use problem are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Odisha.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing a National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) for 2018-2025. The Plan aims at reduction of adverse consequences of drug abuse through a multi-pronged strategy involving education, de-addiction and rehabilitation of affected individuals and their families. The activities under the NAPDDR, inter-alia, include awareness generation programmes in schools/colleges/Universities, workshops/seminars/ with parents, community based peerled interactions intervention programmes for vulnerable adolescent and youth in the community.
The Ministry has also initiated focussed intervention programmes in vulnerable districts across the country with an aim to increase community participation and public cooperation in the reduction of demand for dependence-producing substances and promote collective initiatives and self-help endeavour among individuals and groups vulnerable to addiction or found at risk.
