The problem of drug addiction in India is not limited to urban areas or cities. It is spreading across rural parts also. Rural parts of the country often get overlooked in terms of limited research and lack of awareness. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment survey revealed alarming rates of opioid (1.8%) and cannabis (0.9%) use among kids and teenagers living in rural areas.
Drug addiction is becoming a bigger issue, and there is a variety of factors that support this increase.
- Rural areas have peculiar issues, such as poverty and unemployment, which negatively affect the people. It is more likely for the uneducated youth in society to feel underconfident, which ultimately leads them into drug addiction.
- Moreover, there is the problem of easy drug accessibility, particularly heroin and other prescription medications in the country. Consequently, rural areas without strict governance mechanisms are highly susceptible to this problem. About seventy percent of the respondents from a survey held in rural places of the country indicated that they received their substance within their villages, according to a 2019 study by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
- In rural areas, fluctuating crop prices and unpredictable weather contribute to stress and anxiety in people dependent on agriculture. It is common that the concept of mental health in rural areas often gets overlooked, and problems like anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression are not taken seriously. This leads to the use of drugs, which most people use as a form of self-medication.
Now, when it comes to seeking assistance, people are discouraged from seeking help due to the stigma associated with addiction. The issue is made worse by a lack of knowledge regarding addiction as a disease.
Government Initiatives and Programs for Treating Drug Addiction in Rural India
Besides these issues, rural areas across the country also face the problem of ignorance and lack of awareness concerning addiction and its treatment. Rural areas also lack qualified healthcare professionals and treatment facilities. To address this issue, the Government of India has initiated several addiction treatment programs and interventions aimed at dealing with drug abuse in remote parts of the country.
Awareness Campaigns
National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR): This plan’s main aim is to educate people on drug abuse and its consequences. To reach the rural community, it employs several media platforms.
NMBA, or Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan: It is an initiative under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment targeted at 272 vulnerable districts in India, mostly situated in rural areas. Treating drug addiction in rural India is the primary focus of this initiative. Under this program, volunteers sensitize people and aware communities to address this challenge.
Expanding Treatment Services in Rural Areas:
The Central Sector Scheme of Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse aims to expand treatment services in rural areas by offering financial support to non-governmental organizations and healthcare practitioners for the establishment and upkeep of de-addiction facilities and counseling services.
Mobile Treatment Units: To reach isolated communities and provide accessible treatment alternatives, several states, including Himachal Pradesh, have launched trial programs employing mobile treatment units.
Healthcare Workers’ Training Programs in Rural Areas: The government provides training programs for rural healthcare practitioners to diagnose and manage addiction at the primary care level through projects such as the National Institute of Social Defence (NISD). This makes essential assistance more accessible in rural regions.
Encouraging Interventions Based in Communities:
Programs for Teaching Life Skills: The government, in partnership with non-governmental organizations, teaches young people in rural areas life skills like stress management, communication, and healthy coping mechanisms. These skills may enable them to fend against addiction.
A Collaborative Approach To Treat Addiction In Rural India
The government may significantly contribute to the fight against drug addiction in rural India by addressing these issues and continuing to create and implement successful initiatives. Success requires cooperation with NGOs, local authorities, and medical specialists. Ultimately, the secret to a better future free from addiction is developing a support network that gives rural adolescents agency and readily available treatment options.
