Lok Sabha Question No. 125 (STARRED), answered on 2021-12-07
Subject: Drug Addiction among Children
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Parvesh Sahib Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO.*125 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.12.2021

## DRUG ADDICTION AMONG CHILDREN

*125. SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH VERMA:

## Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- whether the Government is aware of the increasing number of children between 10 and 17 years of age consuming Cannabis, Opioids and Inhalants and if so, the details thereof;
- b) whether the Government is maintaining the data of increasing drug consumption in colleges and universities all over the country and if SO, the details thereof;
- the steps taken/being taken by the Government to check the addiction of children and youth towards narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances; and
- (d) whether the Government proposes to undertake a survey on prevalance of drug addiction the lines of the 'National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India 2019' on a regular five year interval and if S0, the details thereof? along

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (DR VIRENDRA KUMAR)

(a) to (d) : A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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- (a) As per the National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India' in age group of 10 17 years, the percentage users of substances are cannabis (0.92%/), opioids (1.78%), sedatives (0.58%) and inhalants (1.17%).
- b) As a part of Comprehensive National  Survey a focused thematic Study, <Substance Use among Students" was conducted in 10 locations across the country, which showed that 13.1% of students were users of cannabis (which includes 6.4% of users), opioids (5%), sedatives (2.1%) and inhalants (3.2%). Bhang
- (c) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formulated and implemented National Action Plan for Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) under which the Government is taking a sustained and coordinated action for arresting the problem of substance abuse among the youth. This includes: Drug
- 1\_ Launched Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) in 272 most   vulnerable districts under which a massive community outreach is being done through more than 8000 youth volunteers
- Through the various activities undertaken for the Abhiyaan, 1.27+ Crore people have been reached out so far in the identified districts.
- 29+ lakh students have been reached with events, competitions and sessions organized in 27,000+ educational institutions:
- More than 44 lakh youth have actively participated in the Abhiyaan with the involvement of Yuva Mandals, NSSNNCC Volunteers
- Social Media accounts of the Abhiyaan on Twitter; Facebook & Instagram have acted as effective  medium  for spreading awareness among children and youth about not drugs and ensure strong online presence of the Abhiyaan: using
- Eminent Universities & Colleges across the   country are   actively   involved in the implementation of Abhiyaan activities in their campuses and vulnerable communities present around them:
- An internship programme was initiated where 250+ students worked as Social Media interns and reached out to 18+ lakh people with 65,000+ posts across the country using their social media handles:
- A host of online events like Capacity Building Workshop for Youth, Panel Discussion with DCDMs, Expert Panel Discussion; Online   competitions etc. have also been organized with the involvement and participation from the highest authorities, subject matter & domain experts from different fields
- A Website (http:IInmba dosje-gov.in) for the NMBA has been launched to provide real time information to the public about NMBA
- Technology is effectively utilized to capture the field activities on real time basis and also to make the information accessible to general being public.
- A mobile Application for the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan was launched by the Ministry to gather and collect the data and the information of the activities that are happening o-ground. This App is being used by the Master Volunteers in the field who are organizing and conducting activities for the Abhiyaan and also by the District Officials. All this collected data is represented real time on the NMBA Dashboard   where   detailed information can be  viewed on a district,  state and national level by the stakeholders as well as public.
- An interactive space for Forum & Discussion is provided on NMBA website where   people can  anonymously ask  questions on any  information  related to substance abuse which are answered within the next 24 hours by subject matter and domain experts who are affiliated to eminent institutions like NIMHANS & PGIMER
- All the   rehabilitation; treatment and  counselling   facilities   supported by the Ministry have been geo-tagged to make them accessible and easier to locate: the details of the de-addiction centres are available on the public domain o the websites of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) as well as the Ministry.
- An online training module on 'Basic Course on Substance   (Drug) Abuse Prevention' is prepared and on the online training platform of the Ministry 'TAPAS' wherein   people informative   training course. put
- ii. 364 Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts (IRCAs) are supported by the Ministry: These IRCAs not only provide for treating the victims, but also give services of preventive education, awareness generation, motivational counselling, detoxification/de-addiction, after care and re-integration into the social mainstream: drug
- 54 Community based Peer led Intervention (CPLI) Centres are supported by the Ministry. These CPLIs focus on vulnerable and at risk children and adolescents. Under peer educators engage children for awareness generation and life skill activities this,
- iv. 87 Outreach and Drop In Centres (ODICs) are supported by the Ministry. These ODICs provide safe and secure space of treatment and rehabilitation for substance users, with provision of screening, assessment and counselling and thereafter provide referral and linkage to treatment and rehabilitation services for substance dependence.
- V Ministry also   supports   setting up of 35 Addiction   Treatment   Facilities (ATFs) in some Government hospitals, which is implemented through AIIMS, New Delhi: being
- vi: A Toll-free   Helpline for de-addiction; 14446 is   being  maintained by the   Ministry  for providing primary counseling and immediate assistance to the persons seeking help through this helpline.
- vii. Ministry through its autonomous body National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) and other collaborating agencies like SCERTs, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan etc: provides for regular awareness generation and sensitization sessions for all stakeholders including students, teachers, parents So 1,67,042 persons have been sensitized through these programmes in the last 2 years and current financial year: far ,
- (d): in India was conducted in 2018 and published in 2019,to be updated on a regular basis

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