160 Million Indians Alcoholic: Gehlot

Consuming alcohol has become a trend especially in India and it is the most common psychoactive substance used by Indians followed by cannabis and opioids, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot informed Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

The minister said that over 16crore people in the country consume alcohol, around 3.1 crores use Cannabis and about 77lakh people take opioids.

The ministeralso informed that more than 5.7 crore alcohol users of which 72lakh are usersof cannabis and about 77 lakh uses opioid are addicted and need help addingthat the findings were part of a national household survey conducted by theMinistry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2018.

Gehlot alsoinformed that the report establishes that a substantial number of people usepsychoactive substances in India and the substance use exists in all thepopulation groups with adult men bearing the brunt of substance use disorders.

According tothe survey, 1.18 crore peole between the age group of 10-75 years are takingsedatives and 77 lakh people use inhalants. The study also finds that childrenand adolescents were found to be using inhalants more than others.

The ministeralso informed that the household sample survey covered all the 36 states andunion territories of the country. He also informed the house that over 1500personnel were involved in the data collection from population of age groupbetween 10-75 years.

It was alsoinformed by the minister that the government is also conducting a survey in tencities across the country to assess the pattern and profile of substance useamong school and college students which is a part of a national surveyconducted last year.