Lure Of Liquor Is Killing Punjab: AIIMS Study Shows State Tops In Alcohol Consumption Among Children 

In a troubling revelation for the state of Punjab, findings from a study conducted by the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, AIIMS, New Delhi, show that it is at the number one spot when it comes to alcohol consumption among children between the ages of 10-17 years, reports Times of India.

According to the study titled ‘The Magnitude of substance abuse in India’, around 1.2 lakh children from the state are estimated to be consuming liquor, which is far higher than the national average of 40,000. The percentage of children drinking is second highest in West Bengal at 3.9 per cent, followed by Maharashtra at 3.8 per cent.

The authors of the study blame gaps in available treatment. “In this study, we found that one in 37 people affected by alcohol use disorders and one in 20 affected by drug use disorders have not received any treatment. The policies of the government need to change and should not be based on strict control of the supply alone,” stated the lead author of the study Atul Ambekar.

He added that strict government regulations controlling supply had forced many users to change to other substances. He called for treating these alcohol consumers as patients and not criminals.

The study does not elaborate on how so many consumers of alcohol have become dependents since it requires over a decade of use for that to happen.

Many medical problems also arise due to the high level of alcohol consumption, with 150 patients from Punjab suffering from alcohol-induced pancreatitis visiting the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, annually.