Karnataka children top list in alcohol consumption

The study, which covered children aged between 5 and 18 years, found that 88.9 per cent of the kids surveyed in Karnataka consumed alcohol.

(Photo: thestar) A vendor cuts a sachet of gutka for a customer.

Bangalore:  Karnataka tops the list of states in maximum consumption of alcohol by children, a national survey on substance-using children has revealed.

The study, which covered children aged between 5 and 18 years, found that 88.9 per cent of the kids surveyed in Karnataka consumed alcohol. The state accounted for 81.1 per cent in tobacco use, 24.4 per cent in cannabis, 27.8 per cent in inhalants and 2.2 per cent in heroin.

The findings were published in a 2013 study by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) called ‘Assessment of Pattern and Profile of Substance Use Among Children in India’. It was conducted on 4,024 substance-using children in the average age of 13 to 17 in 27 states and two Union Territories.

In consumption of alcohol by children, Karnatak was followed by Andhra Pradesh (84.7 per cent), Haryana (80 per cent) and Chandigarh (79.3 per cent). In tobacco use, Karnataka ranks only after Tamil Nadu (86.3 per cent) among south Indian states, and 11th in the country.

Contrary to the widespread view that street children and those without homes are exposed and addicted to substance abuse, the study revealed that tobacco and alcohol abuse was higher among children living with their families.

It found that of the total sample, an alarming 71.8 per cent of kids staying at home had used alcohol at some point in their life whereas only 53.3 per cent among those living on the street had consumed it. In the last one year, alcohol use was 68.2 per cent among those who stayed at home as opposed to 41.9 per cent among street children.

P S George, executive director of BOSCO Yuvodaya, where many street children are rehabilitated, said a fundamental difference was in the reason why street children and home-based children take to addiction.

“For street children, doing drugs, cigarettes and alcohol are part of their coping mechanism as being homeless is a struggle. Whereas, a child living with a family does it mainly due to pressures, tension and easy availability of pocket money,” he said.

While gaining access to illegal substances is easier for street children, the extent of addiction is higher among kids living at home as poverty leaves street children with little freedom to consume drugs or alcohol whenever they wish.

“There is always a restriction on the amount homeless children purchase — be it alcohol, drugs or tobacco — because they cannot afford too much of anything. So, there is a far lesser chance that it will develop into a prolonged habit which is the case with home-based children as, apart from money, there is also the influence of peers, friends and parents neglecting the kids and media,” he said.

“These habits are a greater danger to family-based kids,” George added.

Among street children countrywide, while tobacco use was reported by 50 to 75 per cent, alcohol was being consumed by 25 to 50 per cent, cannabis by 15 to 25 per cent and inhalants by 20 to 50 per cent of the 18 million street children in the country. Further, tobacco happened to be the most popular and pharmaceutical sedatives the least popular substances abused by girls, who formed about 4.2 per cent of the study sample.

Source: New Indian Express