(a) whether the Government or any other agency has conducted any survey to determine the number of child/adolescent drug users in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the outcome of the survey along with the action taken by the Government in this regard; and
(c) whether any treatment facilities are available for children/adolescent drug users and if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI VIJAY SAMPLA)
(a) During 2012-13, a study was conducted by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) under the Ministry of Women and Child Development in collaboration with National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) of AIIMS titled “Assessment of Pattern, Profile and Correlates of Substance use among children in India”.
(b) The main outcome of the study conducted by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) AIIMS, New Delhi are:
• Tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, inhalants, pharmaceutical opiods, injectable, herion and prescription drugs/sedatives are the major substance of abuse amongst children.
• Alcohol is used by school going children whereas inhalants, heroin and cannabis were more common among out of school children
• There is high prevalence of inhalant abuse amongst street children
• Substance abuse initiation begins at the age of nearly 12 years.
• Substance abuse is not uncommon amongst girls children especially use of tobacco, alcohol and inhalants
• Quitting substance abuse is a problem due to factors like carving, peer pressure, easy availability, withdrawals, stress and survival necessity.
(c) The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment implements a “Central Sector Scheme of Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) Abuse” which provides financial assistance to eligible Non-Governmental Organisations, Panchayati Raj Institution, Urban Local Bodies etc for running Integrated Rehabilitation Centres of Addicts (IRCAs) to provide composite/integrated services for the rehabilitation of addicts including child/adolescent drug users. The IRCAs provide the following services:
(i) Preventive Education and Awareness generation
(ii) Identification of addicts and motivational counselling to avail the services of IRCA
(iii) Detoxification and Whole Person Recovery
(iv) After care and follow-up
(v) Care and support to the families of addicts and social re-integration of the addicts.
On an average about 250 IRCAs are assisted each year by this Ministry.