Global Drug Survey: Indians are the first in the world to seek help to reduce their drug use



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A global survey of recreational drug use, which for the first time was conducted by Indian respondents, found that Indians – more than other nationalities – were seeking help to reduce their consumption. alcohol.

Alcohol, tobacco and cannabis were the most common stimulants used by Indians. Of the approximately 1.00,000 respondents from 30 countries, Indians reported being "drunk" 41 times on average in the last 12 months – behind the UK, US, Canada, Canada, and the United States. Australia and Denmark, but well above the world average. 33 times.

The Global Drug Survey (GDS) is an online anonymized survey that uses a comprehensive questionnaire to assess trends in drug use and self-reported harms among habitual drug users and early adopters of new trends. Although the survey is not designed to determine the prevalence of drug-related behavior in a population, it highlights "the stigmatized behaviors and health outcomes of a hidden population that is otherwise difficult to reach …" and that can be used to inform targeted interventions, "according to the report. a description by the organization in 2018 editorial in the medical journal Lancet.

Indian respondents who participated in the survey, conducted online from October to December 2018, appeared more numerous than other nationalities eager to help reduce their consumption of alcohol. According to GDS 2019, 51% of respondents wanted to "drink less" the following year and 41% "sought help to do so" – again the highest percentage among other countries.

"This could actually reflect the high level of concern among drinkers to be aware of consuming at reputedly harmful levels," said Adam Winstock, one of the lead authors of the survey. , in an email. Mr. Winstock is a London-based psychiatrist, founder and director of the GDS.

About 6% of Indian women surveyed said they had sought "emergency medical treatment" in the last 12 months. The global average of women was about 13%.

None of the men in India said they sought medical treatment, while the world average was 12%.

71% like to be drunk

Indians said they "enjoyed being drunk" in 71% of the occasions, which is close to the world average of 74% and 15 places below the world leader, Portugal, whose respondents received 82% of the opportunities .

Adam Winstock, one of the main authors of the survey, pointed out that there were only about 850 people from India and that they did not represent the entire population.

The Indians interviewed were mostly men and aged 25 to 34 years. One-third of respondents "had a party" at least 4 times in the last year.

While 43% of the approximately 250 Indians surveyed said they had used cannabis and 44% of them said they had used cannabis from "known retailers", 21% said they received "friends" ".

Less cannabis

Only 2% requested emergency medical treatment after using cannabis but, as with alcohol, 51% said they wanted to use "less cannabis" the following year; more than any other nationality and well above the world average of 31%.

Apart from alcohol and tobacco, the most widely abused drugs in the world were cannabis, MDMA (or Ecstacy), cocaine, amphetamines, LSD (or "acid"), magic mushrooms, benzodiazepines, prescription opioids, ketamine, nitrous oxide.

The survey also revealed that about 14% (11,000) worldwide reported having been sexually intoxicated while they were intoxicated during their lifetime and 4% in the last 12 months. There were no figures from India.

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