School students are initiating smoking, drug, and alcohol habits at an average age of 13 years , an AIIMS Delhi survey reveals. The multi-city study highlights an urgent need for earlier prevention, beginning in primary school.
The National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre at AIIMS Delhi led the research. Findings show substance use increased in higher grades. Students in grades 11 and 12 were twice as likely to report substance use compared to 8th graders. This underscores the importance of ongoing prevention efforts through middle and high school.
Study Scope and Methodology
Dr. Anju Dhawan of AIIMS’s National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre led the study. It examined adolescent substance use across diverse regions of India. Data was collected between May 2018 and June 2019.
The survey included 5,920 students . Participants were from classes 8, 9, 11, and 12. They attended urban government, private, and rural schools across 10 cities . These cities included Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Delhi, Dibrugarh, Hyderabad, Imphal, Jammu, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Ranchi.
Key Findings on Substance Use
The average age of first substance use was 12.9 years . Inhalants had the lowest initiation age at 11.3 years. Heroin followed at 12.3 years, and non-prescribed opioid pharmaceuticals at 12.5 years.
Overall, 15.1% of students reported lifetime substance use. 10.3% reported use in the past year. 7.2% reported use in the past month.
Most Common Substances Used (Past Year)
- Tobacco: 4%
- Alcohol: 3.8%
- Opioids: 2.8%
- Cannabis: 2%
- Inhalants: 1.9%
Among opioid users, 90.2% used non-prescribed pharmaceutical opioids.
Availability and Perceptions
Access to harmful substances is perceived as easy by many students. Nearly half of students ( 46.3% ) endorsed that tobacco products are easily available for their age. Over one-third ( 36.5% ) agreed alcohol products are easy to procure.
Other substances also rated as easily procured include:
- Bhang: 21.9%
- Ganja/Charas: 16.1%
- Inhalants: 15.2%
- Sedatives: 13.7%
- Opium and Heroin: 10% each
Despite easy access, 95% of children, regardless of grade, agreed that ‘drug use is harmful.’
Risk Factors and Influences
The study identified several risk factors for substance use:
- Gender: Boys reported higher rates of substance use than girls across lifetime, past year, and past month categories.
- Grade Level: Students in grade 9 were more likely to use substances than grade 8 students. Grade 11/12 students were twice as likely.
- Family Environment: 40% of students reported a family member used tobacco or alcohol. 8.2% reported cannabis use by a family member, and 3.9% an opioid user. 25.7% of students also reported frequent conflicts in their families.
- Peer Influence: Students reported higher rates of inhalant, sedative, cannabis, or opioid use among peers compared to family members. Children who used substances in the past year reported higher substance use among both family members and peers.
Call for Early Intervention
The findings emphasize the critical need for early intervention strategies. Prevention programs should target students as early as primary school. Continued educational efforts and support systems are essential through middle and high school to combat rising substance use among adolescents.