Mumbai: 'Easy availability pushes substance abuse'

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AS many as 88 per cent of youth tried addictive substances before turning 18, with most doing it out of curiosity, reported a survey conducted by students of St Xavier's College on 'substance abuse among youth'. The students have also submitted the report to the Narcotics Control Bureau of Mumbai.

Around 1,000 youngsters in the age group of 16-21 years were surveyed by the first-year students under the guidance of Dr Avkash Jadhav, associate professor of the Department of History.

The survey report showed that 75 per cent youth had tried alcohol before turning 21, 47 per cent had tried cigarettes, 20 per cent had tried drugs and 30 per cent had tried hookah before they turned 21.

A good 76 per cent said they continued to try it after the first attempt out of external factors while 57 per cent said they tried it out of curiosity and 33 per cent did it out of peer pressure.

Around 82 per cent youth felt that easy accessibility of these products was a reason. "A baffling majority of the population under the survey knew friends and classmates who make use of such substances in order to be accepted among friends," stated the survey.

Rhea Banerjee, one of the surveyors said, "Youth today is vulnerable owing to stress and easy availability." Prof Dr Avkash Jadhav too agreed, saying, "The role of family and media plays is crucial. Also, peer pressure forces youth into these habits but unfortunately doesn't help in rehabilitation."

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