Drug use among college students - an interim report

A survey was conducted at Agra (India) to study the extent and pattern of the non medical use of dependence producing drugs among post graduate students of the local colleges and a number of medical 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 1200 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 analyzed. The results reveal that 73.9% male, and 26.0% female students had a drug experience at some time or another. Drug use was highest (80.7%) 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%) 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%). 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 coordination. They expressed their opinion on various aspects of the drug use problem and favored stringent measures to curb it.