'PEERS, PARENTS CAN SPOT EARLY SIGNS OF DRUG ABUSE AMONG YOUTH'

IN an interview with Ashish Srivastava, Dr Om Prakash, Deputy Medical Superintendent and noted psychosocial behaviour expert on drug abuse, shares his insight on the critical issue.

What factors pushing young people into drugs?

Imagine being a teenager preparing for NEET or JEE―each day feels like a race, with relentless academic expectations. This stress, often coupled with emotional isolation, pushes many to seek solace in drugs. Peer pressure plays a huge role too many first experience drugs through friends. Studies show that a staggering 76% of young users in Punjab were introduced to drugs by their social circles. The glamorisation of drug use in Bollywood, music, and social media adds fuel to the fire. And in urban areas, the easy availability of substances like cannabis, alcohol, and prescription meds makes access all too simple. With families becoming more nuclear and parents juggling busy work lives, many young people feel emotionally unsupported and turn to drugs to cope.

How do peers, online culture influence youth drug use?