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Ind. J. of Applied & Clinical Sociology 10 (4), 2015, 70-77
ISSN: 2230-9772 (Print); 2347-5927 (Online)
©: Human Development & Welfare Institute
Some Sociological Aspects of Alcoholism & Substance Use
Amit Thakur
Tolerance – more alcohol required to meet
cravings and to get drunk
Abstract: This article describes the
sociological
perspectives,
history,
and
consequences of alcoholism considered as a
major problem and also some times as a social
vices in India. Alcoholism has been also
sometimes referred as drinking however
drinking and alcoholism differs. Drinking has
been part of several ancient cultures and
civilization but alcoholism does not.
AIMS AND SCOPE
Sociologists,
Anthropologists,
Medical
Scientists, Historians, and Psychologists have
studied alcoholism. Sociologists generally
study alcoholism in terms of causes,
consequences, control, and reconstruction.
However broadly alcoholism studied in terms
of cultural and psychological aspects, which
has consequences on the society and individual
that could be harming.
Key words: Alcoholism, Definition; Aims and
scope of study, Theories of alcoholism and
substance use; Causes of drinking; Forms of
drinking; Types of liquors-substances; History
of drinking; Effects of drinking; Control and
policies.
According to Selden Bacon (1943) "The
sociologist is interested in the customs of
drinking, the relationship between these
customs and other customs, the way in which
drinking habits are learned, the social controls
of this sort of behavior, and those institutions
of society through which such control issues”.
Definition:
Alcoholism is a major Social Vices in India.
There have been differences between drug or
alcohol use, abuse, or addiction. Anderson
(1998) pronounced a sociological definition in
cultural identity theory. According to him,
alcoholism or substance use could involve
with-
Therefore, the sociologist aims to know the
social categories in which much or little or no
drinking occurs, he seeks correlations of
amount and type of drinking with occupational,
marital, nationality, religious, and other
statuses more importantly.
(1) A pattern of regular and heavy use over a
significant period,
(2) A set of drug related problems (at work, or
with interpersonal relationships, one’s own
health, and formal social control agencies),
In addition, studying the societal functions
served by the drinking, social rubs concerned
with drinking, social pressures for and against
this practice, and finally behavior pattern
ridiculing with other institutions and folkways.
(3) Previous and failed attempts to terminate
drug consumption,
THEORIES OF ALCOHOLISM
SUBSTANCE USE
(4) Self-awareness as having a drug and/or
alcohol problem.
AND
General Sociological Theories:-
In medical science, the term alcoholic refers to
a person who suffers from chronic, severe
illness characterized by four key symptoms:-
1. Structural-Functionalism: The structuralfunctional paradigm- credited largely to August
Comte, Emile Durkheim, and Talcott-Parsons–
adopts a macro view of society as a complex
system whose parts work together to promote
solidarity and stability.
Craving – strong need to have alcohol
Loss of control – an inability to cease
drinking, no control of the situation
Physical dependence – withdrawal symptoms
when alcohol is not drunk which includes
nausea and vomiting
2. Symbolic Interactionism. Unlike the
structural-functionalist and social-conflict
models, the symbolic interactionist perspective
takes a more micro-level orientation to
deviance and drugs, or a more close-up focus
70
on social interaction in specific situations. It
sees society as a product of the everyday
interactions of individuals. Like structuralfunctionalism,
symbolic
interactionism
embraces the idea of consensus. However,
symbolic interactionism also acknowledges
variation and conflict.
development theory. In addition to elaborating
on weak bonds between children, families, and
institutions, it also combines insights from
social learning and differential association
theory to explain adolescent substance use.
Social development theory focuses on the
bonds youth develop with those around
them,indicating strong ties to social control
theory. It is a process-based theory, noting the
importance of understanding socialization
influences over time. In short, bonds develop
between youth and socializing agents (families,
school officials etc) around them during
adolescent development.
3. The Social-Conflict Model: Unlike the two
prior models that embrace the idea of
consensus, social-conflict theories view society
as an arena of inequality and conflict. For
conflict theorists, those with the greatest
economic, social, and cultural assets control
society’s structure. For conflict theorists,
deviance is theorized as a response to the
alienating conditions of material and
immaterial inequality and group (e.g., ethnic
and racial minorities) marginalization.
5. Social Learning Theories
Social learning theories have focused on
explaining actual drug use, i.e., frequency and
level of drug use. Most of the scholarly work
investigating this theory has utilized a
quantitative survey approach, featuring
questions to individuals about the types of
drugs they use, how frequently they use them,
and how much of each they use.
All those three theories could be applied in
larger contexts.
4. Social Process Theories
Social process or socialization theories focus
on how people or groups become involved with
drugs and alcohol, how their involvement
changes over time, and what might initiate that
change. Social process theories like labeling
theory are really theories of deviant behavior
and identification.
A. Differential Association. In the period
surrounding the Great Depression (1930s1940s), Donald Sutherland articulated a theory
of deviance called “differential association”
that attempted to explain new forms of
deviance by “unusual” suspects, i.e. people
who were otherwise law-abiding prior to the
Great Depression. His theory integrates ideas
from both structural-functionalism and
symbolic interactionism by proposing that
criminal behavior is learned through a process
of associating with others who define law
breaking as desirable.
A. Labeling Theory and Deviant Roles,
Careers,
and
Identities:
Symbolic
interactionist, like Hughes, Becker, Lemert,
Goffman, Matza, Brown, Denzin etc., have
traditionally maintained that deviance, such as
drug and alcohol use and abuse, could best be
understood as a type of “career,” or a set of
behaviors, roles, and identities that comprise a
lifestyle, running counter to conventional
society in some ways and consistent in others.
B. Elliott’s Integrated Model of Delinquency:
Elliott is yet another scholar to extend
Sutherland’s differential association theory to
illicit drug use, especially among teens. Unlike
Aker’s focus on reinforcement, Elliott
combines elements of social control and strain
theory to extend social learning theory’s ability
to explain substance use. His main contribution
is that strong bonding with deviant peers is the
primary cause of drug use.
B. Social and Self Control Theories: A
second popular social process theory is
Hirschi’s social control theory: Its focus has
been almost exclusively on deviant behaviors,
such as delinquent acts (theft, vandalism, etc.)
and drug use, rather than deviant roles and
identities. It does not address the transition
from drug use to abuse directly, but unlike
interactionist theories, it does explain original
or primary deviance.
6. Social Structural Theories
A third category of sociological theories that
has addressed substance use and related
deviance can be called “social structural”
theories. They differ from those discussed
above by focusing on phenomena that exist
C. Hawkins and Catalano’s Social
Development theory: An important extension
of social control theory in the area of substance
use and abuse is Hawkin and Catalano’s social
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outside of individuals and small groups, but
which are theorized to have an impact on them,
i.e., macro-level factors. Macro-level factors
organize
a
society,
community,
or
neighborhood. They range widely and can
include dimensions of stratification (e.g,
disparities in status and power by race, class
and gender), environmental characteristics
(e.g., poverty, job availability, and ethnic
heterogeneity), and institutions (schools and
community and government agencies) -- their
resources, practices and policies.
1. Casual 2. Habitual 3. Binge drinking 4.
Trouble drinking
FIVE TYPES OF ALCOHOLIC
1. The young adult subtype – largest group
and yet the least likely to seek help for their
problems
with
alcohol
2. The young antisocial subtype – tend to be
in their mid-twenties and can be categorized by
early onset of drinking and alcohol related
problems, often have depression or other
mental
health
issues.
3. Functional subtype – Usually middle aged,
educated,
and
employed
4. Intermediate familial subtype – Typically
middle aged and come from families with
multi-generational
alcoholism
5. Chronic severe subtype – Smallest subtype
and can be defined as those who have multigenerational alcoholism in their family, have
high rates of personality disorders and other
mental health issues plus significant substance
abuse issues
7. Social Disorganization Theory: One of the
earliest and perhaps most influential of the
social
structural
theories
is
social
disorganization theory. It first appeared in the
deviance literature via Clifford Shaw and
Henry McKay’s work on delinquent boys in
Chicago, circa 1930. Shaw and McKay
observed that crime and delinquency (e.g.,
vandalism, minor theft, curfew violations, and
drug use), did not exist similarly across
Chicago neighborhoods. Some areas had much
higher rates of crime and delinquency than
others did.
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOLISM
1. Health effects: Alcoholic ketoacidosis,
cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, epilepsy,
polyneuropathy, alcoholic dementia, heart
disease, nutritional deficiencies, peptic ulcers
and sexual dysfunction, and can eventually be
fatal. Other physical effects include an
increased risk of developing cardiovascular
disease, malabsorption, alcoholic liver disease,
and cancer. Damage to the central nervous
system and peripheral nervous system can
occur from sustained alcohol consumption.
Women could have increased risk of breast
cancer, reproductive dysfunction such as
anovulation, decreased ovarian mass, problems,
or irregularity of the menstrual cycle, and early
menopause.
A. Merton’s strain theory: Like Sutherland’s
differential association theory, Merton’s strain
theory was proposed in the midst of macrolevel societal change.
B. Social Reproduction and Social Capital
Theories:
C. Cultural Identity Theory: Anderson
(1998) developed this theory. Cultural identity
theory attempts to explain substance abuse as
an identity change process. At a very basic
level, the cultural identity theory envisions
drug abuse as a deviant identity matter
featuring
motivation
and
opportunity.
Individuals are motivated toward altering their
identities via drugs because of personal and
social alienation experienced in childhood and
early adolescence.
CAUSES OF DRINKING
2. Psychological effects: Severe cognitive
problems, dementia, anxiety, and depression
disorders, Psychosis, confusion, schizophrenia,
Panic disorder
1. Misery drinking 2. Occupational factor 3.
Lack of recreational activities 4. Ignorance 5.
Inherent Nervous defects 6. God’s curse or gift
7. For companionship and fun 8. Fashion 9. For
business reasons 10. Sudden success in
business 11. Urbanization 12. Social
inadequacy 13 Thrill and pleasure seeking
attitudes
3. Social effects: Alcohol abuse is associated
with an increased risk of committing criminal
offences, including child abuse, domestic
violence, rape, burglary, and assault. Road
accidents, crime, marital conflict, divorce, and
individual-family- social, community, national
disorganizations. Increased expenditure on
Health, judicial and social welfare systems,
FORMS OF ALCOHOLISM
72
Material damage. High Premature death,
Excess morbidity and unemployment
sacred drink and frequently used by the
community during Yagnas. However, Soma
was considered highly useful to keep body and
mind fit, fine, and healthy.in medieval period
since advent of Islam several new drinks
introduce in India. Use of substances also
increased. However, Bhang also used since
long and that was intake after crushing the
leaves and using the paste directly or mixing
that with milk and other edible materials.
Likewise, ganja and tobacco has a long history
of their use. Europeans believed introduced
range of distilled and fermented beverages.
4. Cost of alcoholism:

The social costs of alcohol
consumption amount to between 1%
and 3% of gross domestic product.

Thus, for the European Union in 1998,
the
social
costs
of
alcohol
consumption can be estimated at
between US $65 million and US $195
million (at constant 1990 prices and
exchange rates).

About 20% of the total costs are direct
costs, representing the amount
actually spent on medical, social, and
judicial services.

About 10% of the total costs are spent
on material damage.

About 70% of the total costs represent
lost earnings of individuals who die
prematurely or are unable to perform
their productive tasks in the way they
would have if they had not been
consuming alcohol.
CONTROL ON DRINKING AND POLICY
1. Individual or Self Control
2. Social control: - A. Informal, B. Formal
A. Informal control
Cultural recipes- Appropriate Occasions for
Use, Manner of Use, How much is enough?
When others use, To facilitate another activity,
Speed of Use, Availability and Expedience
Purposes of use, learning to Use within
Multiple Environments, Differential Use along
the Life Cycle., Expedience, Disapproved vs.
Approved Substances.
TYPES OF LIQUORS/ SUBSTANCES
Parental and Family Influence- The family
socializes children to conventionally approved
food habits. Esteemed Role Model Influences
Alcoholic drinks could classify into two
categories such as Fermented Beverages and
Distilled Beverages. Beers, Barley Wine, Fruit
bears; Palm tree juice with a variety of other
beverages could term as Fermented beverages.
Likewise Spirits, Brandy, Whisky, Vodka,
Rum could term as Distilled beverages. Several
countries of world have their own list of
liquors.
Peer Group Influence- Media Influences,
Informal measures: a. Condemnation,
Campus monitoring, c. Parental Control,
Family structure, e. Parental monitoring,
Parental nurturance, g. School functioning,
Religious variables
Khaini (Smokeless tobacco), Gānjā (A highly
potent form of cannabis, usually used for
smoking), Afeem (Opium), Brown sugar
(Smack- an adulterated form of heroin),
Heroin, Pān Parāg, Jardā (chewing tobacco),
and Fennel.
b.
d.
f.
h.
Formal control measures: a. regulating the
marketing of alcoholic beverages, (in particular
to younger people); b.regulating and restricting
availability of alcohol; c. enacting appropriate
drink-driving policies; d. reducing demand
through taxation and pricing mechanisms; e.
raising awareness and support for policies; f.
providing accessible and affordable treatment
for people with alcohol-use disorders; and g.
Implementing screening programs and brief
interventions for hazardous and harmful use of
alcohol.
HISTORY OF DRINKING IN INDIA
Drinking has been part of every known
civilization and culture including Indian since
ancient past, historic, and pre historic. Vedic
texts refer about a drink called Somaras that
was prepared from Soma plant after crushing
that by stone and extracting juice of the plant
however, that juice used after mixing an
amount of milk. Somaras considered most
EFFORTS IN INDIA
Governmental: In 1790, British enacted excise
laws and rules in India. The Indian Excise
73
Committee was appointed in 1905. In 1920,
Indian National Congress led by Gandhi
adopted resolution for prohibition on liquor and
drug shops. Montfort reforms in 1921. In 1937,
several Legislative Councils in several
provinces passed resolution for prohibition as
ultimate goal. Prohibition enquiry committee
constituted in 1954. It recommended
emerging as a major public-health concern in
India.
Sales of alcohol have seen a growth rate of 8
percent in the past 3 years. Officially, Indians
are still among the world's lowest consumers of
alcohol—government statistics show only
21percent of adult men and around 2percent of
women drink. Nevertheless, up to a fifth of this
group—about
14
million
people—are
dependent drinkers requiring “help”.
a. Specific benefits accrued- reduction in
consumption, economic benefits, and social
gains,
The concern, say experts, is that there has been
a rapid change in patterns and trends of alcohol
use in India. Chief among them is people are
beginning to drink at ever-younger ages. The
percentage of the drinking population aged less
than 21 years has increased from 2percent to
more than 14percent in the past 15 years,
according to studies in the southern state of
Kerala by Alcohol and Drugs Information
Centre India, a non-governmental organization
(NGO). Alarmingly, the study found that the
“average age of initiation” had dropped from
19 years to 13 years in the past two decades.
b. difficulties encountered- administrative,
legal, social, economic,
c. Conclusionsd. recommendations- stop drinking in hotels,
stop advertisements, reduce number of shops,
close shops, reduce quantity of supply, reduce
production, no shops in specified areas,
villages, and towns.
Prohibition involves two measures legal and
administration.
Study team on prohibition 1964. Central
excise, state excise departments, Central
Narcotics Intelligence made functional.
The centre points out that a “powerful
international and domestic alcohol lobby” is
purposely targeting young Indians. The local
industry has introduced flavored alcohol drinks
to attract previously non-drinking women and
young men. Multinational companies have
identified India with its vast unexploited
markets as one of the worlds most sought after
places for investment.
STUDIES ON ALCOHOLISM
With more than half of all alcohol drinkers in
India, falling into the criteria for hazardous
drinking, alcohol abuse is emerging as a major
public-health problem in the country. India's
reputation as a country with a culture of
abstinence especially in matters regarding
alcohol is underserved, say experts. The
country, which has seen a rapid proliferation of
city bars and nightclubs in recent years, is fast
shedding its inhibitions about alcohol as a
lifestyle choice.
Many alcohol adverts now feature spirited
groups of young people having a good time.
Although alcohol advertising is banned in the
electronic and print media, surrogate
advertising is rife, argues Monika Arora,
director of the NGO, Health Related
Information Dissemination Amongst Youth
Student Health Action Network. “Drinking
water and apple juice is packaged by alcohol
companies. It's all about getting young people
to start early and be life-long consumers.
Bollywood films now glorify alcohol where the
good guys drink.”
This situation has led to fears of an
undocumented rise in alcohol abuse not only
among poorer classes but also in sections of
society that were previously considered dry.
The health minister has recognized the scale of
the problem—and has called for a policy that
will regulate sales and the pricing of drink.
The shifting composition of Indian drinkers has
seen a rise in the number of Indian women
drinking regularly and heavily. One recent
study in the southern state of Karnataka found
young women consumed similar amounts of
alcohol to young men on any typical drinking
occasion.
Many experts say that although this move is
welcome it may not be enough to curb the
harmful effects of the rise in alcohol
consumption in society. The increasing
production, distribution, and promotion of
alcohol has already seen drink-related problems
74
What is of particular concern—and an
important indicator of health risks—is that the
signature pattern of alcohol consumption in
India is frequent and heavy drinking. More
than half of all drinkers fall into the criteria for
hazardous drinking, which is characterized by
bingeing and solitary consumption to the point
of intoxication. Moreover, spirits account for
95percent of the beverages drunk in India.
of a powerful alcohol lobby with industry
figures influencing the political process, both in
the form of party donations and as
representatives. However, experts argue that
Indian society is losing considerably more than
it is gains. Because of the political expediency
surrounding prohibition, what is not being
looked at is demand reduction strategies.
Using their findings in the Bangalore study,
researchers from NIMHANS have calculated
that the direct and indirect costs attributable to
alcohol addiction is more than triple the profits
of alcohol taxation and several times more than
the annual health budget of Karnataka.
Extrapolating their findings to the whole of
India they estimate the total alcohol revenue for
2003—04 of 216 billion rupees falls 28 billion
rupees short of the total cost of managing the
effects of alcohol addiction. These included the
tangible costs of health care, occupational,
financial, social, and legal factors.
Another problem for policy makers is the fact
that two thirds of the alcohol drunk in India is
unrecorded because it is either illicit local
home brew or has been smuggled into the
country. Employers in poor, marginalized
communities sometimes pay wages in alcohol
rather than cash, according to WHO. The
hazards of spurious liquor can be fatal, with
frequent reports of death, disability, and
hospitalization resulting from its consumption
across the country.
One barrier to developing a national alcohol
policy for India, experts say, is the woeful lack
of data and research on its national health,
social, and economic effect. What is known is
that alcohol-related problems account for more
than a fifth of hospital admissions; 18percent of
psychiatric emergencies; more than 20percent
of all brain injuries and 60percent of all injuries
reporting to India's emergency rooms. The role
of alcohol in domestic violence is substantial: a
third of violent husbands drink, according to a
WHO study in 2004. Most of the violence took
place during intoxication.
The official response to India's problem
remains focused on that in acute need rather
than on prevention. This situation means that
official policy concentrates on just the 4percent
of the alcohol-dependent adult male
population—and ignores the 20percent of the
population who are “at risk” of serious alcohol
abuse.
Experts argue that government thinking on how
best to mitigate the risks for alcohol is 20 years
behind that of tobacco. Under its National Drug
De-addiction Program, the Government of
India has funded 483 detoxification and 90
counseling centers. Almost half of attendees
are being treated for alcohol dependency.
There is evidence even to suggest that the poor
are beginning to drink more than they earn—a
deadly spiral of alcohol and debt. One recent
study by the National Institute of Mental
Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in
households of rural, urban, town, and slum
populations of 28 500 people in and around the
city of Bangalore, Karnataka, found that the
average monthly expenditure on alcohol of
patients with alcohol addiction is more than the
average monthly salary.
Nevertheless, the success of the programs is
low and states fail to adequately fund them,
health professionals say. Doctors working with
addicts in government hospitals report a
“complete lack” of non-pharmacological care
and training. “Once we've treated them there's
no social worker or clinical psychologist to
refer them to so we just send them to AA
(Alcoholics Anonymous.
Although the Indian constitution includes the
prohibition of alcohol among its directive
principles, alcohol policy is devolved to
individual states—as is the levying of taxes on
it. Since most states derive around a fifth of
their revenue from alcohol taxation—the
second largest source after sales tax—they are
generally ambivalent towards stemming its
flow. Moreover, there is a long history in India
The problem is that the treatment of alcoholism
is a low priority in Indian's health sector. Just
600 doctors have been trained to treat alcohol
abuse in the past decade. It's seen as deviant
behavior among most doctors: a hopeless
situation that is unrewarding to treat and so
there's no motivation or financial incentive on
doctors to work in this fields.
75
To address this, the Indian Government has set
a target to train, via AIIMS, 1000 doctors, as
many paramedics, and 500 nurses to specialize
in alcohol-abuse treatment in the next 4 years.
Once trained, the plan is to deploy them across
India's 560 district hospitals to increase access
to treatment. There is, however, a growing
lobby urging the health ministry to act. Indian
Alcohol Policy The key is to break the
stranglehold of state revenue departments who
see increasing consumption of alcohol as a
boon to treasury coffers.
to use and spread of narcotic substances.
Progressive increase of substance abuse in the
developing countries not only adds to
increasing morbidity pattern but also has been
forming a nexus for several dreaded infections
of recent times. It has been found in studies
from different countries that geographical
distribution of drug abuse co-related well with
the availability of drugs. The geographical
location of India between the Golden Triangle
(Burma, Laos & Thailand) and Golden
Crescent (Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan)
makes it a transit point for the trade of various
substances. A key factor affecting illicit drug
demand is that the age of initiation is falling
almost every year, especially with regard to
people seeking treatment for opiate abuse.
According to reports of United Nations
International Drug Control Programme during
1995, more young people in the age group of
15-19 years entered treatment plan than during
the entire three years period from 1992 to 1994.
It required pressing the ministry of health,
headed by a minister who has advocated
prohibition in certain states, to take a lead in
passing a law that privileges public health over
tax receipts. The lack of a national alcohol
policy creates “a very difficult situation” for
health professionals working to tackle
alcoholism.
A sample survey was conducted among 289
subjects during the January 2013. All the
respondents were aged 18 and above. They
were interviewed by surveyors on a schedulebased questionnaire to collect information
about prevalence and model of alcohol and
substance abuse in the urban Patna district.
The study indicated that occurrence rate could
be measured at 17.23 percent. The study further
reveals that approximately 41 percent were
non matric and almost 44 percent were in the
age groups of 24-35 years. Among daily wages
earners and laborers the prevalence rate was
measured as high as almost 45 percent. 82
percent reported that he had tasted the first
drink between the age group 15-25 years of
age. Most common type of alcohol consumed
was country liquor by almost 62 percent.
Almost 58 percent said that they consumed
alcohol in company of one or more friends. 52
percent admitted suffering from Binge
drinking. 65 percent admitted that he had
family and social problems due to drinking
habits. They admitted conflict with family
members and other neighbors. 64 percent
admitted that use drinks at least twice and
thrice in a weak. 42 percent admitted that they
consumed drinks on daily basis. About timing
almost 67 percent said that they consumed
alcohol in the evening and nights. 56 percent
admitted consuming other substances such as
cigarette, beedi, pan parag and gutkha.
In terms of age of onset, the study revealed a
significant fact that 94 83percent respondents
had their first drink between the ages of 15-25
years. Most commonly consumed type of
alcohol was country liquor (by 69 07percent)
followed by English and country liquor (both
by 10 99percent) When alcohol users were
asked about their frequency of intake, 36.43
percent responded that they took less than once
a month. 16 38percent took it 2-3 times a
month while 15 40percent once a week
(Table2) Analysis of amount of alcohol taken
in a single sitting revealed that 46.01percent
had one-two pegs at a time while 29 74percent
had three-four pegs Another 12 72percent had
five-six pegs and the rest (11.53percent) had
seven-eight pegs at a single sitting
When users were asked to analyze their amount
of drinking. 56 14 percent labeile^ it iess than
or equal to average Regarding me place of
drinking, majority consumed it at home or
friends place usually with some company only
in evening and night Only those who were
chronically addicted drink the whole day
50.03percent had arguments with family or
friends after taking alcohol, 4.95 percent had
physical fights while 8.94percent had shortage
of money in the family due to alcohol abuse. In
3.34percent cases husband wife relationships
were strained.
Global trade and liberalization of sociocultural
interaction of the society had made easy access
When medical implications of alcohol were
analyzed, 25.75 percent alcohol abusers replied
76
that they had remained intoxicated for more
than 48 hours. 32.21percent became unsteady
after taking alcohol while 31.89percent had
slurring of speech after drinking. 39.43percent
had increased argumentativeness due to drinks
while 12.93percent took alcohol to steady their
nerves. 0.54percent was convicted at the time
of interview due to their anti-social behavior
after taking alcohol.
were smokers also. 6.89percent had the habit of
taking Pan Masala/Zarda. 2.04percent of
alcohol users were taking khaini also along
with alcohol. Frequency of opium and cannabis
abuse came out to be 1.51percent and
1.18percent respectively. 42.11 percent of
khaini abusers were taking it less than once
weekly, 31.57percent once weekly or more
while 26.32percent were abusing khaini almost
daily. Among opium abusers 35.71percent
were consuming it less than once weekly,
42.86percent consumed opium once weekly or
more while 21.43percent were abusing daily.
In family history of alcohol, user's father was
abusing alcohol in 23.16percent cases while in
7.5percent cases abuse in family was present in
uncle/ grandfather. 26.61percent alcohol users
cited to be sociable as reason for their drinking,
22.95percent
drink
to
overlook
worries/frustrations, 13.68percent replied that
they drunk to cheer up while 14.26percent
drank to think and work better.
Analysis of cannabis abusers revealed that
63.64percent were abusing less than once a
week while 27.27percent were abusing it once
a week or more. 57.69percent alcoholic
smokers replied that they took 1-4
cigarettes/day
(only
while
drinking),
35.89percent took 5-8 cigarettes/day while
6.42percent took 9-15 cigarettes/day.
On analysis of alcohol users for other substance
abuse it was found that 16.81percent users
*****
77