Social acceptance of intoxicants can cause physical, psychological & social harm

Thursday, 19 August 2021 | Purnima Bisht | Dehradun

While illicit drugs like opium, cannabis and smack are considered dangerous by a large part of society, the social acceptance for intoxicants like alcohol and tobacco has made the general public ignore the damaging effects of these substances. The authorities in Uttarakhand have been claiming to bust various drug smugglers on a regular basis but nothing concrete is being done to check the consumption of intoxicants like tobacco and alcohol which are easily available across the State. Many teenagers, especially in slum areas, can be seen consuming alcohol and gutkha besides smoking cigarettes and beedis which are bound to harm them physically and mentally. 

Some experts opined that famous celebrities endorsing alcohol and tobacco also influence people to try out these intoxicants. Clinical psychologist Dr Mukul Sharma said that people have associated consumption of alcohol with various things like lifestyle status, celebration and commiseration in their daily life. Many consume alcohol for its taste and how it makes them feel physically and mentally, said Sharma. He also stated that alcohol and tobacco are often used together by many which put them at high risk of health issues like lung damage, liver disease and cardiovascular disease among others. Sharma said that according to a survey conducted a few months ago in Uttarakhand among people aged 15 to 30 years, 87 per cent of youth consume tobacco and alcohol besides some other drugs. Out of these 87 per cent people, 13 per cent were women and teenage girls, informed Sharma. He said that regular consumption of these intoxicants, especially at a young age, can cause various physical and mental disorders, anxiety, depression, liver and kidney damage and heart-related issues. He also stressed that parents should stay more connected to their children and educate them about intoxicants from an early age. Peer pressure is also the main cause due to which most people start indulging in consuming such drugs as many associate their consumption with a high standard lifestyle. Parents can assist children in such situations if they regularly communicate with children and educate them, asserted Sharma.  

Dehradun based psychotherapist, Aditi Arora also stated that alcohol and tobacco consumption has major potential to cause physical, psychological and social harm. She said that consumption of such socially accepted drugs is mostly a stepping stone for many who later indulge in the addiction to hard drugs like smack, opium, heroin etc as they gradually get immune to the easily available intoxicants. According to Arora, such intoxicants affect families and often become a major cause of domestic violence against women and children. “The curiosity to figure out these intoxicants is a major factor that attracts and compels many to use them. The authorities should run campaigns to educate people about intoxicants and the consequences of their regular consumption. Such education and awareness should be made compulsory in schools too and the authorities must monitor the progress made by the school management. This will make children capable of understanding these drugs from a very young age restricting their curiosity about trying them,” stated Arora.