Drug addiction is a disease that affects a person’s brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medicine.” [ Mayo Clinic ]

UNODC’s World Drug Report 2022:

According to the report, around 284 million people aged 15-64 used drugs worldwide in 2020, a 26% increase over the previous decade. Most of these addicts are young people. Use of drugs by young people is at a much higher level as compared to the previous generation.

According to a World Health Organization (W.H O.) research, Worldwide, 5% of all deaths of young people between the ages of 15-29 are attributable to alcohol use.

In central and eastern Europe, an estimated 1 out of every 4 people who inject drugs is under 20 years of age.

UNODC’s Drug Report Pakistan:

According to the UNODC report, total number of drug addicts in Pakistan are 7.6 million of which 78% are male and 22% are female. Among these addicts, 4 million use cannabis while 2.7 million use opioids. The number of addicts is increasing at the rate of 40,000 per year.

Drug Addiction kills 700 people every day in Pakistan, most of whom are youth.

Factors Involved:

Several factors impact young people’s drug sensitivity. These variables manifest themselves in the lives of young people at multiple levels, beginning with personal issues (personality, genetics), then interpersonal factors such as youth contact with family, schoolmates and peers and finally macro-environment factors such as the economic and social environment to which young people are exposed.

According to a recent survey, over 25% of Pakistani adolescent drug users are under the age of 18, with many consuming drugs before the age of 18 or between the age of 18 and 25.

Situation of Drug Use in Educational Institutes in Pakistan:

According to a recent survey, one out of every ten university students in Pakistan uses drugs.
According to a report by an NGO,53% of the students of leading private schools in Islamabad are addicted to drugs. That’s more than half of the school going population in the country’s capital.
Another report from schools and universities in Lahore indicates that 57% of the students in Pakistan were using at least one drug.

A study was performed by a private university in Islamabad on prevalence of drug use among university students in Pakistan. According to the findings of this study, the prevalence of drug

use in university campuses is rather high with almost the same number of girls and boys abusing drugs,with hostelite being more involved in this scourge than day scholars. Following results were evaluated from the findings of this study:

Frequency- Percentage
Sometimes 175 36%
Often 155 32%
Always 90 18%
Total: 490 100%

Students’ response on drug use within past 12 months N=490.

Have you tried using drugs within the past 12 months?

Frequency- Percentage

Never306%

Rarely6012%

Sometimes 202 41%
Often 116 24%
Always 82 17%
Total: 490 100%

Students’ response on drug use onset N=490.

How old were you when you first started using

drugs?

Frequency- Percentage Have never used drugs

6%

17 years old, or less

11%

18-19 years old

40%

20-21 years old

33%

22 years old, or more

10%

Total: 490 100%

Students’ response on frequency of drug use N=490

How frequently do you use them? Frequency- Percentage
Once a day 192 39%
More than once a day

111 23%
Once a week 89 18%

Several times a week

14%

Have never used

6%

Total:490100%

Students’ response on type of drug they utilize N=490.

Results revealed that a very significant proportion of students were habitual of taking drugs as 68% of students claimed that they take drugs often or sometimes while 41% were consuming within past 12 months and some were taking drugs everyday. Many of them fell prey to drugs during their transitional period of life while entering university from college as a very significant proportion of students reported their age of onset was 18-19 years. It was established from student’s responses that seniors/peers and friends were one of the main reasons behind their exposure to drugs as 74% of students claimed that they were exposed to drugs because of their friends or peers.

Role of Rehabilitation Facilities in improving the current youth adult drug addiction situation:

Rehabilitation centres are providing treatment to the young adults involved in drug addiction and are working to reduce the number of drug addicts by providing awareness about the damages which drug addiction can cause to a young adult.

We at H&H Health Care are providing therapy, counselling, rehabilitation,integration and follow-up programs for all the young adults involved in the addiction of drugs. Our aim is to help spread awareness about the consequences of drugs and to create recovery role models in the society who can bring change by spreading encouragement for getting treatment and help. You may find us at:

herohealthcare.org

Resources:

Mayo Clinic

UNODC’s World Drug Report 2022

World Health Organization (W.H.O.) Report 2016

[W.H.O, HIV and young people who inject drugs]

Drug Addiction in Pakistan-Wikipedia

The News International- ISB,PK.

Prevalence of Drug Use among University students in Pakistan- Department of management sciences, Shifa- Tameer-e-Milat University, Islamabad,PK.