Abstract
Introduction
Method
Results
TABLE 3 B - Pattern of drug use (females)
Discussion
TABLE 8B Opinion Chart (Results)
Conclusions
Author: K. C. DUBE, Aditya KUMAR, Narendaer KUMAR, S. P. GUPTA
Pages: 47 to 61
Creation Date: 1977/01/01
A survey was conducted at Agra (India) to study the extent and pattern of the non-medical use of dependence producing drugs among the post-graduate students of the local colleges and a number ofmedical students of other colleges of the state of Uttar Pradesh who were posted for training at the Mental Hospital. The study was confined to the academic year 1975-76 and covered 1,200 students. The present interim report is based on a sample of 564 students covered during 1975 (1st stage). The data on the total sample of 1200 (2nd and the final stage) are still being analysed.
The results reveal that 73.88 per cent male, and 25.96 per cent female students had a drug experience at some time or another. Drug use was highest (80.66 per cent) among male medical students. The substances commonly used by males were: alcohol, barbiturates, Mandrax (methaqualone diphenhydramine hydrochloride), Vesparax (hydroxyzine hydrochloride), Equanil (meprobamate), Librium (chlordiazepoxide), pain killers (minor analgesics such as aspirin, and cannabis (bhang, ganja, and charas). The female students mainly used Equanil and pain killers. Among the 23 reasons offered for the use of drugs, the majority of students (50-59 per cent) stated that their main reason for drug use was "to relieve tension and facilitate relaxation".The next motivating factor for indulgence was "for the sake of fun" (30-39 per cent). The student drug users reported a number of effects produced by various substances. The most commonly mentioned effects were: excessive sleepiness, sluggishness, giddiness, inability to concentrate on studies, poor physical co-ordination. They expressed their opinion on various aspects of the drug use problem and favoured stringent measures to curb it.
Drug use among the adolescents has become a global phenomenon. In India the use of some drugs, which at one time was frowned upon by the social elite and considered a denigrated habit prevalent mainly among the illiterates and persons from lower socio-economic background, and of other pharmacological agents the use of which was not known, has now spread to the precincts of educational institutions. The spread of the drug cult in schools and colleges is of very recent origin. No proper statistics are available, yet reports by lay journalists have been appearing in the press with such frequency and those in contact with youth are so conversant with the phenomenon, that it is impossible to ignore the fact that the problem exists. The Government and the public are quite seized by the problem and investigations are already afoot. This background prompted the study to be undertaken.
The comprehensive questionnaire (2), suitably modified for use in the present study, contained the following sections: (i) Bio-socio-demographic information; (ii) Drugs and patterns of use; (iii) Statements of opinion; (iv) Subjective experience information; (v) Drug and family information; (vi) Reasons for drug use; (vii) Remarks.
The subjects were post-graduate students of the faculties of arts, sciences and commerce of Agra colleges and final year students from a number of medical colleges posted for training at Agra. Post-graduate and final year undergraduate medical students were selected as it was thought that by then they would have had maximum exposure to drugs, had they chosen to use them; besides, by this time their views on it would have been crystallized. The study carried out over a period of one year will, once completed, eventually cover about 1,200 students.
The questionnaire was administered to the whole class in a class room situation for which prior arrangements were made with the teachers but the students had no advance information of any kind at all. After the investigators were introduced by the teacher, one of them explained the purpose at length and instructed the students on how to fill in the questionnaire. Students were given the opportunity of having points clarified that presented difficulties. Complete anonymity was assured and the students were asked to check whether they had completed the questionnaire before returning it.
This method of administration of the questionnaire was adopted in order to ( a) avoid wilful absence from the class specially by drug takers who otherwise might have kept it; ( b) deny students the opportunity for prior mutual consultations which might have influenced their own responses; and ( c) avoid that students came prepared to answer the questionnaire in a certain manner, in order to minimize false positive and false negative responses. All investigators had a long experience in administering such types of questionnaires, and in the present case their observation was that the students took the task seriously. The items of information in the questionnaire provided for a cross check of answers, which, when done later, revealed that incongruous responses were negligible.
A percentage of male (73.88) and female (25.96) students ( P < 0.001) were found to have had an experience with drugs. The combined percentage of drug users for both sexes was 56.21 per cent. Drug use was significantly more widespread ( P < 0.01) amongst male medical students with 80.66 per cent of drug users in comparison to non-medical male students among whom there were 66.85 per cent of users. No significant difference was observed among female medical and non-medical students. The specific percentage of students using drugs from "once a week" to "daily" was 10.39 for males and 1.92 for females. A percentage of males (44.33) and of females (5.29) were "moderate users", while 49.16 per cent of males and 18.75 per cent of females were "occasional users" (table 1).
Male |
Female |
Total |
||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Users |
Medical |
Non-medical |
Total |
Medical |
Non-medical |
Total |
Medical |
Non-medical |
Total |
|
Number of students surveyed
|
181 | 175 | 356 | 67 | 141 | 208 | 248 | 316 | 564 | |
Regular users (once a week to daily)
|
Number | 21 | 16 | 37 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 24 | 17 | 41 |
Percentage | 11.60 | 9.14 | 10.39 | 4.48 | 0.71 | 1.92 | 9.68 | 5.38 | 7.27 | |
Moderate users (less frequent than once a week to once a month)
|
Number | 29 | 22 | 51 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 33 | 29 | 62 |
Percentage | 16.02 | 12.57 | 14.33 | 5.97 | 4.96 | 5.29 | 13.30 | 9.18 | 10.99 | |
Occasional users (less frequent than once a month)
|
Number | 96 | 79 | 175 | 9 | 30 | 39 | 105 | 109 | 214 |
Percentage | 53.04 | 45.14 | 49.16 | 13.43 | 21.28 | 18.75 | 42.34 | 34.49 | 37.94 | |
Total users
|
146 | 117 | 263 | 16 | 38 | 54 | 162 | 155 | 317 | |
80.66 | 66.85 | 73.88 | 23.88 | 26.95 | 25.96 | 65.32 | 49.05 | 56.21 |
Males |
Females |
||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Users
|
Medical
|
Non-medical
|
Total
|
Medical
|
Non- medical
|
Total
|
|
Single drug users
|
Number
|
55 | 43 | 98 | 6 | 30 | 36 |
Percentage
|
37.67 | 36.75 | 37.26 | 37.50 | 78.95 | 66.67 | |
Multiple drug users
|
Number
|
91 | 74 | 165 | 10 | 8 | 18 |
Percentage
|
62.33 | 63.25 | 62.74 | 62.50 | 21.05 | 33.33 | |
Total users
|
Number
|
146 | 117 | 263 | 16 | 38 | 54 |
Percentage
|
100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 |
Male, Female = P <0.01
Medical (N=181) |
Non-Medical (N=175) |
Total (N=356) |
||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Drug |
Number |
Percentage |
Number |
Percentage |
Number |
Percentage |
Alcohol a
|
102 | 56.35 | 78 | 44.57 | 180 | 50.56 |
Barbiturates b
|
39 | 21.55 |
-
|
-
|
39 | 10.96 |
Mandrax (methaqualone, diphenhydramine Hcl) b
|
47 | 25.97 | 15 | 8.57 | 62 | 17.42 |
Melleril (thioridazine)
|
5 | 2.76 | 1 | 0.57 | 6 | 1.69 |
Vesparaxb (hydroxyzine hydrochloride)
|
29 | 16.02 | 4 | 2.29 | 33 | 9.27 |
Paraldelyde
|
2 | 1.10 |
-
|
-
|
2 | 0.56 |
Dexadrin (dexamphetamine)
|
4 | 2.21 |
-
|
-
|
4 | 1.12 |
Other hypnotics and sedatives b, c
|
11 | 6.08 | 1 | 0.57 | 12 | 3.37 |
Bhang-Cannabis
|
65 | 35.91 | 51 | 29.14 | 116 | 32.58 |
Ganja b-Cannabis
|
15 | 3.29 | 3 | 1.71 | 18 | 5.06 |
Charas b-Cannabis
|
26 | 14.36 | 8 | 4.57 | 34 | 9.55 |
L.S.D
|
3 | 1.66 | 2 | 1.14 | 5 | 1.40 |
Heroin
|
3 | 1.66 |
-
|
-
|
3 | 0.84 |
Opiuma
|
12 | 6.63 | 2 | 1.14 | 14 | 3.93 |
Cocaine
|
2 | 1.10 | 2 | 1.14 | 4 | 1.12 |
Equanil (meprobamate) b
|
42 | 23.20 | 8 | 4.57 | 50 | 14.04 |
Librium (chlordiazepoxide) b
|
32 | 17.68 | 5 | 2.86 | 37 | 10.39 |
Calmpose (diazepam)
|
7 | 3.87 | 2 | 1.14 | 9 | 2.53 |
Others tranquillizers a, d
|
11 | 6.08 | 2 | 1.14 | 13 | 3.65 |
Pain killers
|
42 | 23.20 | 40 | 22.86 | 82 | 23.03 |
aP<0.5 between medical and non-medical students
bP<0.1 between medical and non-medical students
c Other hypnotics and sedatives: Doriden (glutethimide); Melsedin (methaqualone); Restyl (methaqualone, diphenhydramine); Paldoma (methaqualone, diphenhydramine); Sapual; Hypnotex.
d Other tranquillizers: Various phenothiazine drugs like triflupromazine hydrochloride, chlorpromazine, perchlorpromazine.
The term pain killers has been used for minor analgesics such as Aspirin (acetyl salicylic acid), Paracetamol and similar substances.
Medical (N=67) |
Non-Medical (N=141) |
Total (N=208) |
||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Drug |
Number |
Percentage |
Number |
Percentage |
Number |
Percentage |
Alcohol
|
3 | 4.48 | 1 | 0.71 | 4 | 1.92 |
Barbiturates
|
2 | 2.99 | 1 | 0.71 | 3 | 1.44 |
Mandrax
|
2 | 2.99 | 3 | 2.13 | 5 | 2.40 |
Melleril
|
1 |
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Vesparax
|
1 | 1.49 | 1 | 0.71 | 2 | 0.96 |
Paraldehyde
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Dexadrin
|
1 | 1.49 |
-
|
-
|
1 | 0.48 |
Other hypnotics and sedatives a
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Bhang
|
-
|
-
|
2 | 1.42 | 2 | 0.96 |
Ganja
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Charas
|
1 | 1.49 |
-
|
-
|
1 | 0.48 |
L.S.D
|
-
|
-
|
3 | 2.13 | 3 | 1.44 |
Heroin
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Opium
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Cocaine
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Equanil
|
7 | 10.45 | 9 | 6.38 | 16 | 7.69 |
Librium
|
2 | 2.99 | 1 | 0.71 | 3 | 1.44 |
Calmpose
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Other tranquillizers b
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Pain killers c
|
11 | 16.42 | 24 | 17.00 | 35 | 16.83 |
a Other hypnotics and sedatives: Doriden (glutethimide); Melsedin (methaqualone); Restyl (methaqualone, diphenhydramine); Paldoma (methaqualone, diphenhydramine); Sapual; Hypnotex.
b Other tranquillizers: Various phenothiazine drugs like triflupromazine hydrochloride, chlorpromazine, perchlorpromazine.
cThe term pain killers has been used for minor analgesics such as Aspirin (acetyl salicylic acid), Paracetamol and similar substances.
The breakdown by "single" and "multiple" drug use shows that poly-drug use was hgh in medical and non-medical males and medical females, while it was low in non-medical females (table2). The number of male users is about five times that of females. The proportion of multiple drug users amongst males is nearly twice that of single drug users, while in females the use is in the reverse order. The reasons for this could be multiple - such as less access to drugs, lesser prevalence of drug use, less opportunity and freedom to form drug user groups and lesser freedom to have late evenings out in the case of female students.
The most commonly used substances by both, medical and non medical male students were: alcohol, bhang, and pain killers. Male medical students in addition also used barbiturates, Mandrax, Vesparax, Equanil, Librium, charas and ganja in substantial quantity. There were significant differences in the use of certain drugs by medical and non-medical males, as shown in table 3A. Amongst female medical students the use of Equanil and pain killers and amongst the non-medical females the use of pain killers was substantial (table 3B).
Table 4 gives a detailed breakdown of the frequency at which various substances were used. For most substances which include alcohol, hypnotics, cannabis, tranquillizers and pain killers, about 10 per cent of the users of thesecategories, taken separately, used them from "about once a week" to "daily". Substances not in frequent use were Melleril, paraldehyde, L.S.D., heroin, cocaine and Calmpose.
Most users of minor tranquillizers and pain killers started the use primarily at the suggestion of their physician. In case of L.S.D., heroin, opium and cocaine, most users decided on their own to use drugs, while in case of the rest of the substances the maximum number of users were influenced by their campus friends (table 5).
Drug |
Self 2 |
Physician 3 |
Parents 4 |
Brothers or sisters 5 |
Campus friends |
Off campus friends |
Others 8 |
Total (N=564) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alcohol
|
54 | 10 | 5 | 13 | 72 | 20 | 10 | 184 |
(29.35) | (5.43) | (2.72) | (7.07) | (39.13) | (10.87) | (5.43) | ||
Barbiturates
|
14 | 9 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 42 | ||
(33.33) | (21.43) | (40.48) | (2.38) | (2.38) | ||||
Melleril
|
1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | ||||
(16.67) | (16.67) | (66.66) | ||||||
Mandrax
|
19 | 4 | 2 | 38 | 3 | 1 | 67 | |
(28.36) | (5.97) | (2.99) | (56.72) | (4.48) | (1.49) | |||
Vesparax
|
12 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 1 | 35 | ||
(34.29) | (5.71) | (5.71) | (51.43) | (2.86) | ||||
Paraldehyde
|
1 | 1 | 2 | |||||
(50.00) | (50.00) | |||||||
Others
|
7 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 17 | ||
(41.18) | (5.88) | (5.88) | (41.18) | (5.88) | ||||
Bhang
|
42 | 4 | 5 | 50 | 12 | 5 | 118 | |
(35.59) | (3.39) | (4.24) | (42.37) | (10.17) | (4.24) | |||
Ganja
|
5 | 12 | 1 | 18 | ||||
(27.78) | (66.67) | (5.55) | ||||||
Charas
|
8 | 25 | 2 | 35 | ||||
(22.86) | (71.43) | (5.71) | ||||||
L.S.D
|
4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | |||
(50.00) | (12.50) | (25.00) | (12.50) | |||||
Heroin
|
3 | 3 | ||||||
(100.00) | ||||||||
Opium
|
6 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 14 | |||
(42.86) | (7.14) | (35.71) | (14.29) | |||||
Cocaine
|
3 | 1 | 4 | |||||
(75.00) | (25.00) | |||||||
Pain killers
|
28 | 73 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 117 | |
(23.93) | (62.39) | (6.84) | (0.85) | (3.42) | (2.56) | |||
Equanil
|
30 | 25 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 66 | ||
(45.45) | (37.88) | (4.54) | (9.09) | (3.03) | ||||
Librium
|
14 | 21 | 5 | 40 | ||||
(35.00) | (52.50) | (12.50) | ||||||
Others
|
11 | 5 | 6 | 22 | ||||
(50.00) | (22.73) | (27.27) |
Percentage |
Users |
Non-users |
---|---|---|
50-59
|
1. Relieve tensions, facilitate relaxation.
|
1. Relieve tensions, facilitate relaxation.
|
40-49
|
-
|
-
|
30-39
|
2. For the sake of fun.
|
2. Feel good and high.
|
20-29
|
3. Feel good and high.
|
3. For the sake of fun.
|
4. Satisfy curiosity.
|
4. Social reasons.
|
|
5. Ease depression.
|
5. Ease depression.
|
|
6. To be accepted by the group.
|
6. Satisfy curiosity.
|
|
10-19
|
7. For kicks.
|
7.5 Improve studying.
|
8. Forced or persuaded by others.
|
7.5 Heighten sexual experience.
|
|
9. To impress others.
|
9. To be accepted by the
|
|
10. Heighten sexual
|
group.
|
|
experience.
|
10. Forced or persuaded by
|
|
11. Social reasons.
|
others.
|
|
11. To impress others.
|
||
12. Improve studying.
|
12. For kicks.
|
|
13. Facilitate social experience.
|
13. To challenge values of society.
|
|
14. To imitate others.
|
14. Intensify perceptions, increase aesthetic awareness.
|
|
15. Sign of leadership.
|
||
16. To imitate others.
|
||
17. Rapid resolution of personal problems.
|
||
18.5 Sharpen religious insight.
|
||
18.5 Stay awake.
|
||
20. To show revolt against authority.
|
||
21. Facilitate social experience.
|
||
22. Deepen self understanding.
|
||
1-9
|
15.5 Intensify perceptions.
|
23. Others.
|
15.5 To challenge values of society.
|
||
18. Sharpen religious insight.
|
||
18. Rapid resolution of personal problems.
|
||
18. Sign of leadership.
|
||
20. To show revolt against authority.
|
||
21. Deepen self understanding.
|
||
22.
|
Stay awake.
|
|
23.
|
Others.
|
A high degree of agreement existed between users and non-users on the reasons for drug use (rs=0.89). Between 50 to 59 per cent of the students felt that drugs are taken to relieve tension and facilitate relaxation. All reasons given appear in rank order in table 6. From the rank order, it would seem that the reasons which suggest "a pleasure-seeking motive", take precedence over the reasons seeming to invoke dram-like or perceptual experiences.
None of the drug effects experienced were pleasant except increased sexual desire and feelings of exceptional power. The unpleasant effects reported were: excessive sleepiness, sluggishness, giddiness, inability to concentrate on studies, poor physical co-ordination, depression and distortion of vision etc. (table 7).
The majority of drug users favoured the view that indulgence in alcohol, tranquillizers and pain killers should be left to their own choice. They were evenly divided in their opinion on the use of hypnotics and sedatives, but disagreed about giving liberty of choice to use cannabis, L.S.D., heroin and cocaine. Non-user students favoured liberty of choice only in cases of pain killers, and were evenly divided in the case of alcohol, but were against this liberty for any other substances. Both users and non-users favoured stringent measures to curb drug use. In their opinion, continued heavy use of drugs impairs academic performance and habitual use of cannabis leads to involvement with more potent drugs. They felt that drug users in colleges were generally insecure, immature and confused students (tables 8A and 8B).
Drug use in some Western countries has been reported to exist in a serious form [ 1] , [ 2] even among school children. In India no studies have so far been conducted on the prevalence of drug use. The authors believe that there is not much drug use up to the secondary school level, except, to a limited extent in the case of alcohol and cannabis in lower social strata, particularly in villages. The use of cannabis, especially ganja smoking, is quite customary in villages. Elders who indulge in it themselves do not view its use with seriousness, and the children of such parents enjoy considerable freedom to use it. These children in fact grow up in a culture in which ganja smoking and use of bhang is not a real taboo. Amongst females, however, drug use in any form has been practically non-existent [ 3] , [ 4] .
The results of the study indicate that the specific prevalence rate of users was 73.88 per cent for males and 25.96 per cent for females. The increasing use of drugs among female students is perhaps an emerging trend, which is the result of women's lib. seen particularly in affluent social groups and educational institutions with prestige in the larger cities. In comparison, drug use is less frequent in non-medical faculties. Again the type and variety of drugs used also depend on their availability. The medical students have easy access to drugs such as barbiturates, Equanil, Calmpose, etc. which are used for therapeutic purposes. Another recent trend is the use of drugs like L.S.D. which is now obtainable by the medium of a large number of hippies, who have invaded the country. Although only 5 cases of L.S.D. use are reported in this paper, one of the investigators has met with several cases of L.S.D. use in his professional practice.
Various reasons for drug use have been advanced by the students as viewed by them, which seem to be more in the nature of rationalisation to mask their pleasure-gratifying impulses or at least the fantasy in that direction. The other reason is to imitate their Western counterparts thus identifying themselves with the "mods". Drug use also satisfies their ego by getting recognition in their social milieu and by their peers who are more confirmed users and are the trend setters. Curiosity is an important motive in human behaviour and leads to experimentation. Although the students sought to indulge in drug use to relieve tensions and facilitate relaxation, for the sake of fun, to feel good and high, satisfy curiosity, ease depression, to be accepted by the group, for kicks, to impress others, heighten sexual experience, social reasons, improve studying, facilitate social experience, to imitate others and for many other gratifying reasons, their actual experiences were contrary to their expectations. On the other hand they experienced unpleasant effects such as excessive sleepiness, sluggishness, giddiness, inability to concentrate on studies, poor physical co-ordination, depression etc. Therefore it is not surprising that drug users, too, opposed indulgence and favoured measures to counteract and discourage drug use. Once the drug indulgence has started, the subsequent continuance is no more dictated by the reason of expectations given. Since the use continues in spite of unpleasant after-effects, the reasons could be that the after-effects themselves relieve the users of serious responsibilities and the student temporarily becomes oblivious to the demands of reality. In course of time it becomes a trend, and the more drugs are used by the student, the more he develops dependence, to the exclusion of all other activities.
Percentage |
Alcohol |
Barbiturate |
Mandrax |
Vesparax |
Bhang |
Ganja |
Charas |
Opium |
Equanil |
Librium |
Pain killer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
20-29
|
7. Feeling of exceptional power 11. Poor physical co-ordination.
|
8. Depression
|
2. Excessive sleepiness, slug-gish-ness 8. Depress-ion
|
11. Poor physical co-ordination 4. Distortion of vision or hearing
|
4. Distortion of vision or hearing 5. Inab-ility to conc-entrate on studies 6. Hallucin-ations8. De-pres-sion 11. Poor physic-al co- ordin-ation
|
8. De-pres-sion 11. Poor physic-al co-ordin-ation 15. Diffi-culty in con-trolling impul-ses
|
5. Inab-ility to conc-entrate on studies 6. Hal-lucin-ations 11. Poor physic-al co- ordin-ation
|
1. Gid-diness 2. Exces-sive sleep-iness, slug-gish-ness
|
2. Exces-sive sleep-iness, slug-gish-ness
|
||
30-39
|
2. Exces-sive sleepi-ness, slug-gishness 5. Inab-ility to conc-entrate on studies
|
5. Inab-ility to conc-entrate on studies 11. Poor physic-al co-or- din-ation
|
1. Gid-diness 8. De-pres-sion
|
2. Exces-sive sleep-iness, slug-gishness
|
2. Exces-sive sleep-iness, slug-gishness 4. Distor-tion of vision or hearing 5. Inab-
|
8. De-pres-sion
|
2. Exces-sive sleep-iness, slug-gishness
|
2. Exces-sive sleep-iness, slug-gishness
|
|||
40-49
|
1. Gid-diness
|
1. Gid-diness
|
1. Gid-diness 5. Inab-ility to conc-entrate on studies 11. Poor physic-al co- ordin-ation
|
1. Giddiness 2. Exces-sive sleep-iness, slug-gish-ness
|
|||||||
50-59
|
5. Inability to conc-entrate on studies
|
1. Giddiness
|
1. Giddiness
|
||||||||
60-69
|
2. Excessive sleepiness, slug gishness
|
||||||||||
70-79
|
2. Exces-sive sleep-iness, slug-gish-ness
|
||||||||||
80-89
|
2. Excessive sleep-iness, slug-gish-ness.
|
2. Excessive sleep-iness,slug-gish-ness.
|
User ratings |
Non User ratings |
|||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Statements |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Students should be given the liberty to decide for themselves whether or not to use:
|
||||||||||
1. Alcohol
|
73 | 97 | 18 | 44 | 28 | 74 | 52 | 18 | 114 | 46 |
2. Hypnotics and sedatives
|
39 | 53 | 36 | 64 | 68 | 51 | 38 | 21 | 113 | 81 |
3. Cannabis
|
39 | 32 | 26 | 89 | 75 | 58 | 24 | 14 | 127 | 81 |
4. L.S.D.
|
43 | 18 | 17 | 110 | 72 | 49 | 27 | 16 | 135 | 77 |
5. Heroin
|
41 | 18 | 16 | 106 | 79 | 51 | 24 | 16 | 132 | 81 |
6. Opium
|
40 | 24 | 20 | 104 | 72 | 52 | 22 | 23 | 133 | 74 |
7. Cocaine
|
44 | 22 | 20 | 93 | 81 | 47 | 29 | 21 | 122 | 85 |
8. Pain killers
|
62 | 75 | 21 | 46 | 56 | 63 | 71 | 24 | 75 | 71 |
9. Tranquillizers
|
42 | 89 | 24 | 42 | 63 | 47 | 60 | 23 | 91 | 83 |
10. Drug use should be made legal
|
69 | 47 | 25 | 75 | 44 | 65 | 34 | 35 | 103 | 67 |
11. Students indulging in drug intake generally are creative, thoughtful and independent
|
67 | 38 | 43 | 60 | 52 | 42 | 30 | 44 | 110 | 78 |
12. Academic performance is impaired by continued heavy drug use
|
141 | 26 | 14 | 24 | 55 | 114 | 25 | 30 | 60 | 75 |
13. Drug users in colleges are increasing and will continue to increase
|
143 | 33 | 7 | 16 | 61 | 109 | 30 | 22 | 56 | 87 |
14. Habitual use of cannabis leads to use of other potent drugs
|
103 | 33 | 17 | 13 | 94 | 83 | 28 | 21 | 40 | 132 |
15. Students should not share drugs with others
|
128 | 35 | 17 | 27 | 53 | 125 | 18 | 24 | 51 | 87 |
16. Legal steps should be taken against illicit drug use
|
106 | 54 | 25 | 31 | 44 | 111 | 28 | 31 | 53 | 74 |
17. Almost all students in college have tried: Alcohol
|
65 | 40 | 42 | 64 | 49 | 32 | 36 | 50 | 89 | 97 |
18. Hypnotics and sedatives
|
30 | 42 | 43 | 74 | 71 | 28 | 36 | 49 | 97 | 94 |
19. Cannabis
|
14 | 26 | 47 | 89 | 84 | 20 | 28 | 53 | 103 | 10 |
20. L.S.D.
|
13 | 24 | 42 | 96 | 85 | 19 | 27 | 55 | 105 | 98 |
21. Heroin
|
11 | 32 | 40 | 101 | 76 | 13 | 27 | 55 | 110 | 99 |
22. Opium
|
15 | 18 | 43 | 95 | 89 | 21 | 24 | 61 | 96 | 102 |
23. Cocaine
|
18 | 19 | 39 | 87 | 97 | 22 | 27 | 56 | 94 | 105 |
24. Pain killers
|
58 | 32 | 34 | 65 | 71 | 33 | 56 | 48 | 74 | 93 |
25. Tranquillizers
|
53 | 42 | 34 | 54 | 77 | 31 | 40 | 45 | 79 | 109 |
26. There is too much fuss about drug use among college students
|
98 | 52 | 31 | 31 | 48 | 61 | 50 | 45 | 48 | 100 |
27. College authorities should lay down a clear policy on drug use including disciplinary action for violation
|
150 | 33 | 16 | 21 | 40 | 136 | 23 | 9 | 46 | 90 |
28. Drug users in college are generally insecure, immature and confused students
|
92 | 42 | 29 | 48 | 49 | 113 | 35 | 25 | 44 | 87 |
A = Agree with significantly higher number. D = Disagree with significantly higher number. E = Opinion is evenly divided.
User ratings (a,b) |
Non-user ratings (b) |
|||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Statements |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Students should be given the liberty to decide for themselves whether or not to use:
|
||||||||||
1. Alcohol
|
73 | 97 | 18 | 44 | 28 | 74 | 52 | 18 | 114 | 46 |
2. Hypnotics and sedatives
|
39 | 53 | 36 | 64 | 68 | 51 | 38 | 21 | 113 | 81 |
3. Cannabis
|
39 | 32 | 26 | 89 | 75 | 58 | 24 | 14 | 127 | 81 |
4. L.S.D.
|
43 | 18 | 17 | 110 | 72 | 49 | 27 | 16 | 135 | 77 |
5. Heroin
|
41 | 18 | 16 | 106 | 79 | 51 | 24 | 16 | 132 | 81 |
6. Opium
|
40 | 24 | 20 | 104 | 72 | 52 | 22 | 23 | 133 | 74 |
7. Cocaine
|
44 | 22 | 20 | 93 | 81 | 47 | 29 | 21 | 122 | 85 |
8. Pain killers
|
62 | 75 | 21 | 46 | 56 | 63 | 71 | 24 | 75 | 71 |
9. Tranquillizers
|
42 | 89 | 24 | 42 | 63 | 47 | 60 | 23 | 91 | 83 |
10. Drug use should be made legal
|
69 | 47 | 25 | 75 | 44 | 65 | 34 | 35 | 103 | 67 |
11. Students indulging in drug intake generally are creative, thoughtful and independent
|
67 | 38 | 43 | 60 | 52 | 42 | 30 | 44 | 110 | 78 |
12. Academic performance is impaired by continued heavy drug use
|
141 | 26 | 14 | 24 | 55 | 114 | 25 | 30 | 60 | 75 |
13. Drug users in colleges are increasing and will continue to increase
|
143 | 33 | 7 | 16 | 61 | 109 | 30 | 22 | 56 | 87 |
14. Habitual use of cannabis leads to use of other potent drugs
|
103 | 33 | 17 | 13 | 94 | 83 | 28 | 21 | 40 | 132 |
15. Students should not share drugs with others
|
128 | 35 | 17 | 27 | 53 | 125 | 18 | 24 | 51 | 87 |
16. Legal steps should be taken against illicit drug use
|
106 | 54 | 25 | 31 | 44 | 111 | 28 | 31 | 53 | 74 |
17. Almost all students in college have tried: Alcohol
|
65 | 40 | 42 | 64 | 49 | 32 | 36 | 50 | 89 | 97 |
18. Hypnotics and sedatives
|
30 | 42 | 43 | 74 | 71 | 28 | 36 | 49 | 97 | 94 |
19. Cannabis
|
14 | 26 | 47 | 89 | 84 | 20 | 28 | 53 | 103 | 10 |
20. L.S.D.
|
13 | 24 | 42 | 96 | 85 | 19 | 27 | 55 | 105 | 98 |
21. Heroin
|
11 | 32 | 40 | 101 | 76 | 13 | 27 | 55 | 110 | 99 |
22. Opium
|
15 | 18 | 43 | 95 | 89 | 21 | 24 | 61 | 96 | 102 |
23. Cocaine
|
18 | 19 | 39 | 87 | 97 | 22 | 27 | 56 | 94 | 105 |
24. Pain killers
|
58 | 32 | 34 | 65 | 71 | 33 | 56 | 48 | 74 | 93 |
25. Tranquillizers
|
53 | 42 | 34 | 54 | 77 | 31 | 40 | 45 | 79 | 109 |
26. There is too much fuss about drug use among college students
|
98 | 52 | 31 | 31 | 48 | 61 | 50 | 45 | 48 | 100 |
27. College authorities should lay down a clear policy on drug use including disciplinary action for violation
|
150 | 33 | 16 | 21 | 40 | 136 | 23 | 9 | 46 | 90 |
28. Drug users in college are generally insecure, immature and confused students
|
92 | 42 | 29 | 48 | 49 | 113 | 35 | 25 | 44 | 87 |
Users |
Non-users |
|||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Statements |
A |
D |
E |
A |
D |
E |
Students should be given the liberty to decide themselves whether or not to use:
|
||||||
1.Alcohol
|
X
|
X
|
||||
2. Hypnotics and sedatives
|
X
|
X
|
||||
3. Cannabis
|
X
|
X
|
||||
4. L.S.D.
|
X
|
X
|
||||
5. Heroin
|
X
|
X
|
||||
6. Opium
|
X
|
X
|
||||
7. Cocaine
|
X
|
X
|
||||
8. Pain killers
|
X
|
XX
|
||||
9. Tranquillizers
|
X
|
X
|
||||
10. Drug use should be made legal
|
X
|
XX
|
||||
11. Students indulging in drug intake generally are creative, thoughtful and independent
|
X
|
X
|
||||
12. Academic performance is impaired by continued heavy drug use
|
X
|
X
|
||||
13. Drug users in college are increasing and will continue to increase
|
X
|
X
|
||||
14. Habitual use of cannabis leads to use of other potent drugs
|
X
|
X
|
||||
15. Students should not share drugs with others
|
X
|
X
|
||||
16. Legal steps to be taken against illicit drug use
|
X
|
X
|
||||
17. Almost all students in college have tried: Alcohol
|
X
|
X
|
||||
18. Hypnotics and sedatives
|
X
|
X
|
||||
19. Cannabis
|
X
|
X
|
||||
20. L.S.D.
|
X
|
X
|
||||
21. Heroin
|
X
|
X
|
||||
22. Opium
|
X
|
X
|
||||
23. Cocaine
|
X
|
X
|
||||
24. Pain killers
|
X
|
XX
|
||||
25. Tranquillizers
|
X
|
X
|
||||
26. There is too much fuss about drug use among college students
|
X
|
|||||
27. College authorities should lay down a clear policy on drug use including disciplinary action for violation
|
X
|
X
|
||||
28. Drug users in college are generally insecure, immature and confused students
|
X
|
X
|
X = Significant at P<0.01. X X = Significant at P <0.05.
The survey reveals a high rate of drug use among the students (73.88 per cent in males and 25.96 per cent in females). The highest prevalence was found in male medical students (80.76 per cent) who were also the users of the largest variety of drugs. Drug use in most instances was started at the suggestion of campus friends, upon the individual's own decision and at the suggestion of the physician. The important motives for drug use were: to relieve tension and facilitate relaxation, for the sake of fun, to feel good and high, to satisfy curiosity, to be accepted by the group, and social reasons. In actual fact the after-effects of drug use experienced by the users failed to fulfil these expectations. The drug effects were: excessive sleepiness, sluggishness, giddiness, inability to concentrate on studies, poor physical co-ordination etc. In the opinion poll, those who opposed the use of drugs and favoured stringent action against it were drug users themselves.
000Users of substances other than pain killers.
1. Agree strongly. 2. Agree with reservations. 3. Tend to disagree. 4. Disagree strongly. 5. Uncertain.
Jose R. Lombillo and Jack D. Hain. "Patterns of Drug use in a High School Population", Amer. J. Psychiat . 7, 836-841, 1972.
002K. C. Dube. "Drug Abuse in Northern India - Observations Concerning the Delhi and Agra Regions", Bulletin on Narcotics , XXIV: 1, 49-53, 1972.
003Edwin S. Robbins, Lillian Robbins, Willium F. Frosch and Marvin Stern. "College Student Drug Use", Amer. J. Psychiat . 12, 1743-1751, 1970.
004K. C. Dube. "Drug Abuse in Northern India - Observations Concerning the Delhi and Agra Regions", Bulletin on Narcotics , XXIV: 1, 49-53, 1972.
005K. C. Dube. "Drug Abuse in Northern India - Observations Concerning the Delhi and Agra Regions", Bulletin on Narcotics , XXIV: 1, 49-53, 1972.
006K. C. Dube. "Drug Abuse in Northern India - Observations Concerning the Delhi and Agra Regions", Bulletin on Narcotics , XXIV: 1, 49-53, 1972.