A new Challenge

A New Challenge

National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences conducted a recent multi State survey on Substance Abuse and Drug Addiction among Children. The results were shocking.  Kerala topped the list -74 per cent of school children in Kerala use tobacco! A total of 119 children in the state, between the age group of 5-18, were covered as part of the study, conducted to examine the pattern, profile and correlates of substance use.

In all, the study commissioned by Working Group on Substance Abuse and Drug Addiction among Children under the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) reached out to 4,024 children across 27 states and two union territories. 

 Alcohol, tobacco and inhalants are common initial substances which are easily available to the children. A. Shajahan, Secretary, Department of General Education said, “All educational institutions in the state have to take a note of this and strictly enforce laws of the land along with spreading awareness. Concerted action is the need of the hour; nothing should be left to chance.”

Here is one of our experiences. One day a call came to our child help line and the informer was a school teacher from rural Trivandrum. He said that there were a few students who regularly used addictives like pan masala in their school. But they would not disclose the details from where they obtained it, he added. He requested our team to come and speak to them. Our S4S team visited the school on Tuesday 22 July, 2014.

When the students met the team they did not hide their irritation towards awareness classes by saying “we have attended many classes.” Our team leader smiled and said politely “We are not here to conduct an awareness class, but I want to show you some people who have been using pan masala and other tobacco products.”  Then he showed pictures and videos of people  who suffer from mouth cancer due to addictive drug abuse. One of the drug users exclaimed at the end of the class: ‘I will never again use tobacco in my life’.

During the interactive session, some of the students gave the full details of the drug sellers. Together with the School authorities we formed  “an Anti-drug Squad”. The School Principal was happy to take immediate action; more surprising was that the drug abusers were ready to lead the squad.