Wednesday, October 19 2005 15:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Party drugs like cocaine, marijuana and heroin account for less than five per cent of the problem arising out of drug abuse in the country, according to an expert at the de-addiction centre at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) here.

It is alcohol, tobacco, inhalants in children, sedatives sold over the medical counter despite regulations, which affect a larger population and are a 'greater menace', Dr Vivek Benegal, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, NIMHANS told sources.

Even as current national estimates of drug use are awaited, Bangalore, which is home to about 0.6 per cent of the country's population, appears to contribute to about 3.4 per cent of the drug users in the country, Benegal quoting Drug Demand Reduction Report 1999, said.

While this is significant in terms of absolute numbers, there are many reasons why the drug use scene in Bangalore may not be as alarming as in other parts of the country, involved with the De-Addiction Centre since its inception, said.

Preference of alcohol as the main drug of use is one of the possible reasons. Other reasons may be thrust on education, better opportunities for socialization and lesser tolerance for deviance.

However, recent trends (drug abuse related data and enforcement data) do suggest a re-emergence of heroin and marijuana aka ganja or cannabis, the later since it is cheap and is easily accessible, Benegal said.

Inhalant abuse among the poorer classes is also a serious problem.

Marijuana or cannabis is frequently used among students as a stress buster for its "mildly hallucinogen properties, which plays with their perception and makes them feel more creative," Benegal said.

The problem begins when 'you start seeking the drug and taking it' which detracts you from getting on with your life, he said.

The adverse impact the drug has on youngsters is "the drug alters the structure and functioning of the young brain which is still developing", he said.

"Our effort therefore is to delay the first use of the drug among the young by educating them as prohibition has never worked", Benegal said.

As far as drug abuse is concerned, be it marijuana or 'greater evils like alcohol and tobacco', a Rapid Assessment Survey (RAS) carried out by NIMHANS in Bangalore calls for continued monitoring, dialogue between supply and demand reduction agencies and a "more pro-active approach to developing preventive strategies".

Sex education and awareness at all levels and safe sex practices need to be propagated very aggressively, said Benegal who was part of the RAS team.

However, such education should be provided not only in formalised settings like schools and colleges but also be made available for general and marginalized populations, he said.

RAS focuses on 'unconventional' interactive models reaching out to the teenagers, especially in the street and slums.

Services for women including drug abuse prevention education at antenatal clinics and for commercial sex workers must be established, he said.

Better networking between law enforcement agencies and a nodal organisation such as the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is needed in collation of such information pertaining to supply reduction.