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| Perception about Drug addiction in Youth : A Case study of Hamirpur District of Himachal Pradesh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Paper Id :
16070 Submission Date :
2022-05-13 Acceptance Date :
2022-05-20 Publication Date :
2022-05-25
This is an open-access research paper/article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. For verification of this paper, please visit on
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| Abstract |
In Himachal Pradesh, drug addiction is a severe concern. In recent years, there have seen an alarming increase in the number of young people who are addicted to drugs. Many cases are usually read in the newspapers about young people being arrested for drug use, the majority of whom are adolescents. According to several surveys on the drug use, youngsters make up the majority of those who used drugs. It has been well documented that drug addiction causes a slew of health problems as well as a significant disruption in academic performance. Drug addiction is a very complex phenomenon so, finding easy strategies to address it is incredibly challenging. One are the days when we think about and come up with feasible answers to this significant problem among the youth, who are the nation's true building blocks. To address the unpleasant problem of drug addiction, more effort needs to be done with focused approach. Keeping this in mind, the current paper aims at studying the impact of family and peer networks in shaping attitudes about drug addiction and to learn about the prevalence of drug addiction among young people confront within days to day life. The research study is based on original data. While doing research , the researcher used the Stratified Sampling method. To complete the sample process, Stratified Sampling used to divide the whole population into smaller groups or strata. The researcher took the 100 respondent sample size in his study .
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| Keywords | Youth, Drug Addiction, Health, Family and Peer. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduction |
Despite being a well-known phrase, "youth" still lacks a broadly accepted definition. While youth is commonly understood to be the period of life that begins with puberty and ends when physical and emotional maturity is achieved, Definitions of term youth are more context-specific, relying on both formal and informal factors such as culture, tradition, and socio-economic status in a country or community. It is a period of semi-dependency that occurs between infancy and maturity, during which young people attempt to gain personal autonomy while being dependant on their parents or the state. Youths are the most diverse group of people in any country. They are the country's backbone. However, no age group is more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol and drugs than young people. In some ways, it appears to be a problem that affects everyone: you, your family, and your friends. Simply put, no matter how hard one tries one, They will not be able to avoid the difficulties caused by alcohol and medications. (Source: UN Reports)
Drugs touch us all, directly or indirectly, in our homes, families, schools, dorms, communities, towns, and cities across the country.
Youth is best described as a phase of transition from childhood reliance to adulthood, when one is independent and aware of one's interdependence as a community member. The age group of youth is a more fluid category than the age group of adults.
The United Nations defines youth as everyone aged between 15 to 24 years old, and all UN statistics are based on that age range. The United Nations also acknowledges that this varies without regard to other age categories identified by member states, such as 18-30. Within the UN, a useful difference can be established between teenagers (those aged 13 to 19) and young adults (those aged 20 and up) (those between the ages of 18 and 32). While working to enhance uniformity in statistical methodologies, the UN is well aware of the inconsistencies in its own statutes.
According to the Indian National Drug Testing Laboratory (2020), drug addiction incresed in 2020 as a result of the nationwide lockdown. As per the data 32% of persons had used non-prescribed fentanyl, 20% of people who had used methamphetamine, 12.5% of people had used heroin, and 10% of people who had used cocaine in the previous year. Himachal Pradesh ranks third among the 29 states and seven Union Territories in the country, with a total of 929 cases registered under the Special and Local Laws (SLL) offences in the NDPS Act 1985. BHAWANI NEGI, 2017).
The user obtained these substances through unlawful routes such as black markets, putting him or her in contact with criminals. Drug prices were greater than cannabis, but most individuals can afford to pay them with regular money from regular jobs. Required additional funds, were be obtained through illegal means or by undertaking illegal crimes such as robberies, burglaries, muggings, or drug sales. Users may act in improper ways as a result of these substances' effects on mood and behaviour, resulting in activities that are disruptive to others, such as family, friends, or coworkers. This can cause social problems at home or at work, as well as lower productivity (Adrian, 1991).
In 2018, 1,342 instances were filed under the NDPS Act, representing a rate of 18.5 per lakh of the population. According to the NCRB report 2018, Himachal has the third-highest crime rate in NDPS cases, after Punjab (39.2) and Kerala (24.9), and drug addiction in this state has recently led to local drug consumption, which was not previously the case. One of the many unforeseen outcomes of drug abuse was this. After reviewing the Himachal Pradesh NDPS crime list, the researcher came up with the idea for this study.
The current study has conducted in the Hamirpur district. Although Hamirpur district is the smallest in Himachal Pradesh, it is the best in terms of education. Researchers want to know what young people in the Hamirpur district think about drug addiction. The researchers tried to determine whether the influence of drug addiction on adolescents is increasing or decreasing of their school going children.
Impact of Drug addiction
The impact of drug usage on the mind is one of the most notable repercussions. It has been demonstrated that abuse of various substances alters chemical responses and brain activity. According to Medical Daily, a research on alcohol use revealed that drinkers have lower IQ scores. People who smoke tobacco have had the same outcomes. according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. The medicine has been shown to have an effect on the development of young brains.
According to Science Daily, youths who used marijuana regularly lost IQ points over time, on average 8 points, Those who abuse drugs excessively had mental health issues as a result. When substance usage is stopped and addiction is treated, some cases of substance-induced illnesses may go away, but others may not. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, mood disorders affect 80 percent of those who suffer from alcoholism.
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| Objective of study | 1. To understand the role of family and peer groups in creating perception towards drug addiction.
2. To find out the prevalence of drug addiction among youth in Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh. |
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| Review of Literature |
Anuradha (1999) in her study related to "Alcoholism and Drug abuse" in Bathinda district of Punjab found that most of the addicts were from the lower caste groups, both in rural and urban areas. A higher proportion of addicts from the rural areas were illiterate, whereas the most of the urban addicts had studied up to matric level. The researcher suggested a community based approach towards de-addiction because drug abuse is a multi-factorial and multifaceted problem. This approach includes the development of culture specific models for prevention and treatment of addicts. The approach also emphasizes the creation of a network of institutions for motivation, counselling and de-addiction.
Jalota (1999) in a study conducted in Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Batala and Hosiarpur districts found that there is high prevalence of multiple drugs abuse among drug addicts. The study recommended that there was immense need for looking into the incidence and nature of substance abuse and formulate interventive measures, taking into consideration. |
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| Methodology | While the investigation the problem, the researcher utilised the Stratified Sampling method. The sample size was 100 respondents, and the age group of the youth undertaking for the study was 15-29 years.(NYP 2014).The current study looked into the problem of drug addiction among youth of Himachal Pradesh, with the goal of determining that many addiction tendencies that stem from drug seizures, as well as the modus operandi of drug addiction. The causes and other elements that contribute to drug addiction, as well as its persistence, were examined in order to confront future difficulties not just by law enforcement agencies, but also by the general public after they have been educated and provided with alternative options. |
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| Sampling |
Analysis of the personal details of the respondent revealed that most of the respondents traits 61% belong to the age group of 20-24. Out of the total respondents who were participated in the study were 55% males and 45% were females. |
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| Result and Discussion |
Table No. 1
The above table 1, shows that consuming drugs according to the respondent’s perception.16 percent of the respondents have seen consuming drugs their family members whereas 25 percent of respondents have seen consuming drugs their relatives and neighbors. 59 percent of respondents have seen consuming drugs their friends and colleagues. As per the study, 59 percent of the respondents have seen consuming drugs their friends and colleagues. Friends and colleagues who use drugs may motivate, teach, and reinforce adolescents to self-medicate as a way of using substances. Thus, adolescents with high levels of friendship intimacy and with greater exposure to friends who use substances may also be more likely to self-medicate. Table No. 2 Ways of Helping Friends, Relatives, Community Member
Drug addiction have grave consequences on our existing social systems, affecting crime rates, hospitalizations, child abuse, and child neglect, and are rapidly consuming limited public funds. The above table 2, indicated “Ways of Helping Friends, Relatives, Community Members” according to the respondent’s perception. 48 percent of the respondents help others by ways of spreading awareness. 30 percent of respondents refer those in need to counselling centres and 12 percent of respondents provide counseling based on their own knowledge and 10 percent of respondents did not provide any suggestions for them. As there is a say, precaution is better than cure, It is been evident that the majority of respondents emphasized that conducting awareness has a great reach to control the people from getting addicted. Table No 3 Frequency of Consuming Drugs
Cannabis is by far the most commonly used drug worldwide, according to the latest Global Drug Survey (GDS). Cocaine and MDMA are used to a far lesser extent in comparison. The figures used here do not consider alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine, which of course are also heavily used (Global Drug Survey). The above table 3 shows that frequency of consuming drugs of drug addicts according to the respondent’s perception. 39 percent of the respondents thought addicts consume drugs daily. 15 percent of respondents thought addicts usually consume drugs on weekends whereas 38 percent of respondents thought that they may consume drugs during parties and gatherings. 8 percent of respondents did not know how many times they consume drugs. Here it's been understood that the new generation Parties and gatherings have great influence on drug consumption as a status of pride, to enjoy and make themselves one among peers. Once this limit gets crossed the person becomes addicted to drugs and consumes it on daily bases. Table No 4 Effects of Drugs on The Body
The above table 4, that effect of drugs on the body according to the respondent’s perception. 18 percent of respondents said that physical health is affected by the use of drugs. 14 percent of the respondents said that mental health is also affected by drug use. 6 percent of respondents said stress and anxiety issues are also there. 62 percent of the respondents were those who said physical health problems, mental health problems and stress and anxiety all happen with an addict. Drugs not only affect your physical body and health, but they can affect your mental health, your finances, your relationships, your social life. Table No 5 Social Effects of Being Addicted To Drug
Long-term use of drugs or alcohol can also affect your ability to socialize. Someone who is doing drugs likely has unbalanced relationships. The above table 5, show the social effect on being addicted to drugs according to the respondent’s perception. 39 percent of the respondents said that drugs affect their education. 14 percent of respondents opinion that drugs affect employment whereas 34 percent of respondents believe that drugs affect family relationships. 13 percent of respondents said that there are other things that happen with an addicted person. Another social effect that Drug addiction brings is behavioral change in personality. As per the study, 39 percent of the respondents said drugs affect education. According to Monti PM, Miranda R, Nixon K, Sher KJ, Swartzwelder HS, Tapert SF, drug addiction itself may impair cognitive development which, in turn, reduces academic achievement and disrupts academic progression. Recent studies have shown that heavy adolescent substance use can lead to problems with working memory and attention due to changes in adolescent brain activity. Table No 6 Population Which Majorly Consumed Drugs
The above table 6 provides the data on the population which majorly consumed drugs according to the respondent’s perception. 29 percent of men consume drugs in the selected sample. 1 percent of women, 8 percent of elderly people and 13 percent of teenagers consume drugs whereas 49 percent of them were youth. Table No 7 People Consuming Any Sort Of Drug
Factor Responsible for Drugs: - Many different factors contribute to drug addiction. The factors that contribute to drug addiction include genetics, environment, family history, occupation, and social factors. These are some of the most common factors that contribute to addiction. How one relates to and interacts with others can influence their risk of experimenting with drugs and alcohol (Mackenzie Whitesell, 2013). Table No 8 Starting Age of Drugs
Age, a demographic variable having a possible influence on the phenomenon under consideration is found differential among addicts. The above table 8 indicates the starting age of drug addiction according to the respondent’s perception. Here more than half (72 percent) of the respondents belong to the age group of 15 to 25 years. Very few (28 percent) of the total population belong to the age group of above 25 years. As per the study, no one belongs to below 15 years of age. As per the study, 72 percent of the respondents belong to the age group between 15 to 25 years. The age group 15-25 years is very active in the study and they gave their views without any hesitation. This explained that more than one-third of the respondents had started using drugs from their adolescent age. Most of them started consuming drugs before attaining mental maturity i.e., at the age of 15-25. Table No 9 Addicted Persons Usually Consume
We usually think of alcohol or illegal drugs when we think of addiction. People, on the other hand, become addicted to medicines, cigarettes, and even glue. Some substances have a higher potential for addiction than others: Crack or heroin are so addictive that the user may only use them once or twice before losing control (UNODC, 1995). The table 9, shows the type of drug consumed as per the knowledge of respondents. . 38 percent of the respondents smoke Cigarettes/bidi usually. 13 percent of the respondents consume chew types of Tobacco Products like Panparag, gutka etc. 6 percent of the respondents consume opium usually. 33 percent of the respondents consume cannabis- related products. 10 percent of the respondents usually consume all of the drugs mentioned above. The majority of respondents used Cigarettes/beedi. This is because they are very cheap and are easily available in every shop and there are no particular restrictions for selling them. Table No. 10 With Whom These Drugs Usually Been Consumed
The above table 10 indicated the data about ‘with whom these drugs have usually been consumed’ according to the respondent’s perception. Very few (13 percent) of the respondents said that addicted person usually take drug, when they are alone. 57 percent of the respondents said that addicted person consume drugs whenever they are with their friends. 22 percent of the respondents said that addicted person were occasional consume of these types of drugs and 8 percent of respondents said that addicted person had taken above all things (alone, along with friends and in parties and gathering ). Friends are the first role models of any individual. They influence a person’s behavior. If the individual is exposed to drug use by friends the person will also have a tendency to experiment with it. Alongside there is also a lack of control from the family which will aggregate the problem ( AL Pedrosa, 2020). |
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| Conclusion |
Addiction to drugs is a worldwide problem. Their effects may be similar everywhere, with just minor variations in magnitude depending on the local situation. This study used proper documentation from the research area to get information about drug addiction viewpoints, difficulties, and recommendations. The current research looked into the "perception about Drug Addiction among Youth." This is to generalise the societal problem, which is prevalent throughout the state. Various recommendations for removing the condition that would emerge from the findings of this study have been made by various groups of individuals. As a result, it's critical to fully appreciate the study's findings. It is clear from this research endeavour that drug addiction is a problem that affects a large portion of the Himachal population. It has far-reaching ramifications in practically every section of the country. |
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| Limitation of the Study | 1. Study was limited to Hamirpur District , Himachal Pradesh only. 2. Respondents interviewed were only those who were youth from the age group 15-29yrs. |
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| References | 1. Adrian, M. (1991). The numbers game: words count. The Journal 20(5)
2. Indian National Drug Testing laboratory Report, 2020
3. National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Report ,2018
4. NCRB Report, 2018
5. NDPS Act ,1985
6. UNODC, World Drug Report,2013, p.70
7. World Drug Report, 2011
8. National Youth Policy, 2014 |
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