Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Industry, SHGs come together to create substance abuse awareness

— Photo: S. R. Raghunathan

FOR A SOLUTION: Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, and N.S.Palaniappan, Secretary, Social Welfare department, at a workshop in Chennai on Thursday.

CHENNAI: The first in the series of nationwide consultations, organised by the Ministry of Social Justice, on drugs and alcohol abuse was held here on Thursday. It brought together several hundred people from industry and self-help groups across the State to create awareness and make recommendations to the government on tackling the issue.

Over 62 million people in India were addicted to alcohol, 8.7 million to cannabis and 2 million to opiates, according to a 2004 report published by the United Nations Office on Crime and Drugs and available on its website. The figures are population projections based on a household survey of 40,000 men aged 12-60 and subsidiary studies undertaken among women, prison inmates and rural population, and in border areas. Only 2-19 per cent of those in the household survey reported ever seeking treatment for drug abuse or related disorders.

“The number of alcohol and drug users, and particularly the use of injectible drugs, has grown alarmingly in the past few years in the country,” Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan said at the inauguration.

With the economic boom propelling wages and the related stress of delivering in high-pressure environments, more young people than ever were taking to alcohol and drugs, Ms. Jagadeesan said. Therefore, a “synergy” between government departments and the private sector was “the need of the hour to tackle this menace,” she said. She urged industry federations and their members to come forward with alcohol-free and drug-free workplace policies and provide training in positive life skills, coping mechanisms and sound investment opportunities. “Maintaining the health of employees makes better business sense as it ensures productivity,” she said.

“The industry has swept the problem under the carpet, based on moral values rather than health concerns,” said Shanthi Ranagnathan, honorary secretary, TTK Hospital. “There has definitely been an increase in the number of drinkers and those getting into drug addiction,” she told The Hindu, estimating that the hospital sees more than 100 patients a month.

“The Ministry has a comprehensive drug demand reduction programme,” Arbind Prasad, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, said. Aware of the realities of the rise in drug and alcohol abuse along with the economic development, the Centre was seeking to engage with the problem at the industry level, he said. The worst of the impact of drug and alcohol dependency, including the loss of income and abuse, was felt by families, and the participation of women and self-help groups was, therefore, critical, he noted.

Non-governmental organisations in 22 districts in the State had received funding, approved by the State’s nine-member committee for drug and alcohol addiction programmes, N.S. Palaniappan, Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Programme, said. Thursday’s consultation would be used as a model for those in other cities, he said, and recommendations would be submitted to the government.

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