Drug abuse gripping Haryana youth, situation worsening: Surjewala

Chandigarh, Dec 27 (PTI) Drug abuse has emerged as a serious public health crisis in Haryana, with young people being the worst affected, said Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, quoting a report.

A report by Rohtak PGI has indicated that children aged between 15 and 18 years are increasingly falling prey to drug addiction, he said.

As per available figures, around 74 per cent of those affected by substance abuse are below the age of 25. Of them, nearly 73 per cent relapse into addiction even after undergoing treatment, highlighting the severity of the problem, he said.

Government drug counselling data shows that over the past five years, 1,84,163 youths have registered for treatment at de-addiction centres across the state, he said.

Age-wise data reveals that 46 per cent of drug users fall in the 19-25 age group, 28 per cent are aged between 15 and 18 years, while 21 per cent are between 26 and 35 years.

The crisis is more pronounced in rural areas, with 62 per cent of cases reported from villages, compared to 38 per cent from urban regions, the data shows, he said.

The overall situation has worsened, with drug abuse cases increasing by around 35 per cent compared to last year, Surjewala said.

Incidents of overdose-related deaths among youths are being reported from both rural and urban areas, affecting families across the state, Surjewala added. PTI VSD HIG