DRUG ABUSE: AWARENESS, SENSITIZATION AND PREVENTION

Drug abuse has emerged as a serious concern, adversely affecting the physical and socio-economic well-being of the country. It has enormous presence on public health across various sections of society. The epidemic of drug abuse in younger generation has assumed alarming dimensions in India. The stress and strain of the modern-day life has rendered the individual more vulnerable to the problem of substance abuse, there has been a substantial increase in the prevalence of use and abuse of substances in young children (Report by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, 2019). Drug abuse can have many short- and long-term negative effects including physical and mental health problems, legal consequences, and impairment in many areas of a person’s life, from school to work and interpersonal functioning.Drug dependence is a growing problem, consequences of drug dependence cost the community heavily and they form a major health problem [Ramachandran V, 1991]. This habit not only affects health, education and occupational career, but it also incurs a huge financial and social burden on the society [Ningombam S, Hutin Y, Murhekar MV, 2011].