CHILD Protection & Rights > Protection Issues

Drug Abuse Among Children

Drug addiction is a growing problem in India . Defined as a disease in 1956 by the World Health Organisation and the American Psychiatric Association, drug abuse is "the illicit consumption of any naturally occurring or pharmaceutical substance for the purpose of changing the way in which a person feels, thinks or behaves, without understanding or taking into consideration the damaging physical and mental side-effects that are caused."

The common drugs of abuse amongst children and adolescents in India are tobacco and alcohol but use of illicit and stronger drugs like cannabis, opium, or even intravenous use of drugs such as heroin have also been reported. A new trend has emerged in drug and substance abuse with children now taking a cocktail of drugs through injection, and often sharing the same needle, which increases their vulnerability to HIV infection.

Thought drug addiction has become a large phenomenon in India in the past two decades affecting all segments of society, the use of whitener, alcohol, tobacco, hard and soft drugs is an especially wide spread phenomenon among street children, working children and trafficked children but there is currently a lack of reliable data on drug abuse amongst children .

It is difficult to assess the problem, estimate social and economic costs, and design intervention strategies as these children are especially vulnerable and belongs to a hidden part of the population difficult to access that does not seek treatment and remains under-reported.

However according to a nationwide survey spread over 13 states by the NGO Prayas in association with the Ministry of Women and Child Development and other organization, 32.1% children, below the age of 18, have tasted alcohol, bhang, ganja, heroin or other form of narcotics. It reveals also that 70.3% of those kids have been first exposed to one or the other form of drugs by their friends and relatives, 11.7% by their parents.

According to other recent data, among those involved in drug and substance abuse in India , 13.1 per cent are below 20 years. A survey reveals that of the children who came for treatment to various NGOs, 63.6% were introduced to drugs at a young age below 15 years. Overall 0.4% and 4.6% of total treatment seekers in various states were children.

Heroin, Opium, Alcohol, Cannabis and Propoxyphene are the five most common drugs being abused by children in India . 20 million children are estimated to be getting addicted to smoking every year, and nearly 55,000 children are becoming smokers every day in comparison to 3,000 in the US . Recent available data points out that among the alcohol, cannabis and opium users about 21%, 3% and 0.1% respectively were below 18 years.

Children start on drugs for a number of reasons, from curiosity, recreation to the need to cope with stress but drug abuse and addiction lead to a complex set of social, medical and economic problems with serious implications. Some substances present in easily available products like cough syrups, pain relief ointments, glue, paint, gasoline and cleaning fluids are directly toxic and often abused by children. Even a single session of repeated inhalant abuse can disrupt heart rhythms and cause death from cardiac arrest or lower oxygen levels, enough to cause suffocation. Regular abuse of inhalants can result in serious damages to vital organs including brain, heart, kidney and liver as well as in mental complications. Physically, the body develops also tolerance for it. This can lead to increases in consumption, which eventually leads to physical dependence.

International and National Framework

International Framework

Article 33 of the UNCRC (Link with the text) provides children with the right to protection from the use of drugs, and from being involved in their production or distribution.

"States Parties shall take all appropriate measures, including legislative, administrative, social and educational measures, to protect children from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as defined in the relevant international treaties, and to prevent the use of children in the illicit production and trafficking of such substances."

Some international specific Conventions exist also to prevent and prohibit drug trafficking. To read more on this general framework, please have a look on the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's website: www.unodc.org

National Framework:

- The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985

This act declares illegal the production, possession, transportation, purchase and sale of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance and makes the person, addict/trafficker liable for punishment.

Use or threat of use of violence or arms by the offender, use of minors for the commission of offence, commission of the offence in an educational institution or social service facility are some of the grounds for higher punishment.

- The Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988

Under this law, people who use children for drug trafficking can be booked as abettors or conspirators to the act.

- Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000

Section 2 (d) includes in the definition of a 'child in need of care and protection' children vulnerable to or likely to be inducted into drug abuse or drug trafficking.

Initiatives developed or that may be developed by government and non government organizations to tackle Children drug abuse

Health education and awareness of the public in general and of the youngsters at school and in community is essential. Community based programs are beneficial for prevention and treatment of substance abuse among children and adolescents. Seminars, rallies, media campaigns as well as plays and games to reach children and especially the most vulnerable of them, those living on the streets, those deprived of parental care or child labourers have been already organised but must still be developed.

A national master plan for substance abuse was evolved in 1994 which focuses on the establishment of treatment and rehabilitation centres, training in substance abuse for primary care doctors and other personnel, collaborating with non-governmental organisations and carrying out education and awareness building programmes. There are currently in India about 359 counselling centres for drug abuse prevention that also propagate awareness. The government finances also more than 50 NGOs, which are engaged in drug abuse prevention activities. A tripartite agreement between the government, ILO (Link: www.ilo.org ) and UNDCP (Link: www.undcp.org ) has been signed to help full rehabilitation and recovery of drug addicts.

The government has also initiated curative programs for stopping drug and substance abuse. But all these initiatives should be reinforced and generalized across the country. There is a true lack of drug abuse prevention and treatment services as well as a lack of psychologists and specialised professional to deal with this issue across the country. Very few specialised facilities for children exist and they are mostly attached to Psychiatric and Paediatric departments of various medical colleges and other special institutions. These also differ in their structure, functioning, and in the available therapeutic facilities and are mainly situated in urban areas. There are practically no facilities available in the rural areas to help children suffering from drug abuse. More funding should be allocated and more facilities created to more effectively help children to recover from drug abuse.

There is a real need for regional, national government and non government organisations as well as international agencies to increase their cooperation between them and share experiences.

Resources

Some organizations:

- D-Word: this website for 11-14 years old contains information about drug abuse, games, vides and more: www.drugscope.org.uk/wip/24/index.htm

- Federation of Indian NGOs for Drug Abuse Prevention: www.fingodap.org

- Kids Web India : http://www.kidswebindia.com/drugabuse.php

- International labour organization http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/drug/modind.htlm

- National Centre for Drug Abuse Prevention : http://ncdap.nisd.gov.in/dams/

- United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) : www.unodc.org

- UNODC- The global youth Network: http://www.unodc.org/youthnet/youthnet_youth_drugs.html

- World Health Organisation: http://www.who.int/topics/pharmaceutical_products/en/

To find a full list of related organizations, please go on The global UNODC youth Network's website: http://www.unodc.org/youthnet/en/youthnet_links.html

Some publications:

- A participatory handbook for youth drug prevention programs: A Guide for Development and Improvement: Understanding Drug Abuse/All About Drugs.

www.unodc.org/pdf/youthnet/handbook_what_are_drugs.pdf

- A participatory handbook for youth drug prevention programs: Full Version.

www.unodc.org/pdf/youthnet/handbook.pdf

- Drug abuse among street children: a study of Central Mumbai . International Institute for Population Sciences, 2001: http://www.popline.org/docs/169311

- Prevention of the recreational and leisure use of drugs among young people. UN Economic and Social Council. 2000: www.unodc.org/pdf/document_2000-12-06_1.pdf

- Street Children and drug abuse: social and health consequences: www.drug abuse .gov/PDF/Street Children .pdf

- Subgroup Report on Child Protection for the 11 th Five Year Plan (2007-2012). Ministry of Women and Child Development. Drug abuse, 52-53. A vailable online : http://wcd.nic.in/wgchilprotection.pdf

- Substance abuse in children and adolescents. Harpreet S. Duggal and Christoday R. J. Khess , 2007. Available for purchase online, $32: http://www.springerlink.com/content/f522101t85114525/

- The Extent, Pattern and Trends of Drug Abuse in India : National Survey. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2004. http://www.unodc.org/india/national_Survey.html

- Youth and drug abuse, a global overview. UN Economic and Social Council. 1999. www.unodc.org/pdf/document_1999-01-11_2.PDF

- World situation with regard to drug abuse, with particular reference to children and youth . UN Economic and Social Council. 2000: www.unodc.org/pdf/document_2000-12-06_1.pdf