Drug Abuse is a Global Social Evil - Special Reference with Indian Context

The Indian literature related to drug abuse in general and Cannabis in particular has been reviewed and possible implications discussed. In this regard to solve the existing controversy, 50 pure chronic cannabis users were evaluated for their physical, mental, cognitive and socio economic functions and the results were compared with a matched control group. Results of this study did not reveal any impairment in these areas It is concluded that cannabis, in India, may not be as much injurious to health as has often been mentioned in Western Countries. Future areas of research have been suggested. Drug abuse and addiction lead to a complex set of social, medical and economic problems with serious implications. According to experts, it is widely prevalent, cutting across age, class and gender. Yet, it is difficult to estimate the number of drug abusers or formulate a comprehensive approach to deal with the issue primarily because it involves a " hidden population" that does not seek treatment and hence remains under-reported. This makes it difficult to assess the problem, estimate costs, both social and economic, and design intervention strategies. Realizing the need for extensive data and information on the issue, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime published in 2004 one of the most comprehensive baseline studies, "The Extent, Pattern and Trends of Drug Abuse in India: National Survey". The major components of the survey that used multiple methodologies and indicators included a National Household Survey (NHS) of randomly selected men across the country; the Drug Abuse Monitoring System (DAMS), which compiled data from new patients at treatment centers; People start on drugs for a number of reasons, from curiosity and recreation to the need to cope with stress. What begins as abuse can often lead to dependence. Physically, the body develops tolerance for it, and more of the drug is needed to experience the same effect. This leads to increases in consumption, which eventually leads to physical dependence.