Impact of substance abuse among adolescents: a narrative review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20252907Keywords:
Substance-abuse, Adolescents, Vulnerable population, Drug abuse, AddictionAbstract
Substance abuse among adolescents are considered as a critical public health issue which leads to impact on individual development and societal well-being. Around 1.5 crore (15 million) minors aged between 10–17 years uses substance in India and 34% used any substances in Tamil Nadu. There are no enough evidences on impact of substance abuse. Hence, this study aimed to explore the various impact of substance abuse among adolescents. The literature search was carried out in Pub-med central, Google scholar and Web of science databases with suitable search terminology like impact of substance abuse, addictions, drug abuse, drug dependence, substance use disorders drug user, drug intoxication, and toxicity. In addition, demographic variables, new innovative policies and programs for substance abuse among adolescents in India were reported in the present review. Understanding the impact of substances among adolescents helpful in development of targeted health policies and community-based programs. It ultimately promotes the healthier lifestyles and also enhances future outcomes among adolescents.
Metrics
References
World Health Organization. Adolescent health. 2021. Available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/ adolescent-health. Accessed on 12 July 2025.
UNICEF Data and Analytics. UNICEF Data. 2025. Available at: https://data.unicef.org/about-us/. Accessed on 12 July 2025.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Child Health. National Health Mission. 2025. Available at: https://nhm.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1andlevel=2andsublinkid=818andlid=221. Accessed on 12 July 2025.
Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. Census of India 2011: Population Enumeration Data. Ministry of Home Affairs. 2011. Available at: https://censusindia. gov.in. Accessed on 12 July 2025.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. National Family Health Survey-5: Tamil Nadu (2019–21) Fact Sheet. International Institute for Population Sciences. 2021. Available at: https://rchiips. org/nfhs/NFHS-5_FCTS/Tamil%20Nadu.pdf. Accessed on 12 July 2025.
World Health Organization. Global status report on addressing youth substance use. 2021. Available at: https://www.who.int. Accessed on July 2025.
Charrier L, van Dorsselaer S, Canale N, Baska T, Kilibarda B, Comoretto RI, et al. A focus on adolescent substance use in Europe, Central Asia and Canada: Health Behaviour in School-aged Children international report from the 2021/2022 survey. Volume 3. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2024.
United Nations. YouthStats: Substance abuse. United Nations Youth Envoy. Available at: https://www.un. org/youthenvoy/substance-abuse/. Accessed on July 2025.
Ambekar A, Agrawal A, Rao R, Mishra AK, Khandelwal SK, Chadda RK. Magnitude of Substance Use in India: National survey on extent and pattern of substance use in India. New Delhi: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and NDDTC, AIIMS. 2019.
Santosh ABR. Understanding the citation and way forward. Eur J Dent. 2019;13(2):129-30. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0039-1697210
Dahiya R. Adolescent Substance Abuse on Rise in India. Int J Legal Stud Soc Sci. 2016;2(2):495-511.
Jamani JB, Reshmi YS, Pricilla RA, Prasad JH, Baskar M. Prevalence of substance use among adolescents residing in urban slums of Vellore: A cross-sectional study. J Family Med Prim Care. 2024;13(11):483-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_420_24
Times of India. One in every 5 high school kids in Namakkal district uses tobacco. 2025. Available at: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/one-in-every-5-high-school-kids-in-namakkal-dist-uses-tobacco/articleshow/121421031.cms. Accessed on 12 July 2025.
Venkatesh U, Aparnavi P, Mogan KA, Durga R, Pearson J, Kishore S, et al. Determinants of substance use among young people attending primary health centers in India. Glob Ment Health (Camb). 2024;11:e23.
Times of India. Kol youth prone to suicide, substance abuse, finds study. 2025. Available at: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/kol-youth-prone-to-suicide-substance-abuse-finds-study/articleshow/121937212.cms. Accessed on 12 July 2025.
Meisel SN, Colder CR. An examination of the joint effects of adolescent interpersonal styles and parenting styles on substance use. Dev Psychopathol. 2022;34(3):1125-43. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579420001637
Venkatesh U, Aparnavi P, Mogan KA, Durga R, Pearson J, Kishore S, et al; FASAI Study Group. Determinants of substance use among young people attending primary health centers in India. Glob Ment Health (Camb). 2024;11:e23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2024.13
Jain R, Balhara YP. Impact of alcohol and substance abuse on adolescent brain: a preclinical perspective. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2010;54(3):213-34.
Akanbi MI, Augustina G, Theophilus AB, Muritala M, Ajiboye AS. Impact of substance abuse on academic performance among adolescent students of colleges of education in Kwara State, Nigeria. J Educ Pract. 2015;6(28):108-12.
Mohamad M, Mohammad M, Mat Ali NA, Awang Z. The impact of life satisfaction on substance abuse: delinquency as a mediator. Int J Adolesc Youth. 2016;23(1):25-35. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2016.1267021
Cochran BN, Peavy KM, Robohm JS. Do specialized services exist for LGBT individuals seeking treatment for substance misuse? Subst Use Misuse. 2007;42(1):161-76. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10826080601094207
Baggett TP, Hwang SW, O’Connell JJ, Porneala BC, Stringfellow EJ, Orav EJ, et al. Mortality among homeless adults in Boston: Shifts in causes of death over a 15-year period. JAMA Intern Med. 2013;173(3):189-95. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.1604
Temane AA, Rikhotso T, Poggenpoel M, Myburgh C. Adolescents' lived experiences of substance abuse in the Greater Giyani Municipality. Curationis. 2023;46(1):e1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/curationis.v46i1.2379
National Institute on Drug Abuse. Principles of Adolescent Substance Use Disorder Treatment: A Research-Based Guide. Available at: https://nida.nih .gov/publications/principles-adolescent-substance-use-disorder-treatment-research-based-guide. Accessed on 12 July 2025.
National Institute of Social Defence. Navchetna: A Life Skills Resource for Adolescents. Government of India. 2020.
Government of India. Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan. Available at: https://socialjustice.gov.in. Accessed on 12 July 2025.
Deas D, Brown ES. Adolescent substance abuse and psychiatric comorbidities. J Clin Psychiatry. 2006;67(7):e02. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.0706e02
National Institute on Drug Abuse. Digital Therapeutics and Emerging Technologies in Addiction Treatment. 2023. Available at: https://ni da.nih.gov. Accessed on 12 July 2025.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
