Drugs are ‘used’ if they are to cure illness, prevent diseases or improve health status, and are ‘abused’ if self-administered for non-medical reasons, in frequency and amount that may alter the general body homeostasis of an individual. Nepal is vulnerable in context of drug addiction and its effects. Adolescents and young people are generally are abusing drugs.

2. Shisam Neupane
1st year, 2nd sem
Kantipur Academy of Health Science
Department of Public Health

3.  Drugs, in broad sense are chemical substances that
have known biological effects in human and other
animals.
 Drugs are ‘used’ if they are to cure illness, prevent
diseases or improve health status, and are ‘abused’ if
self-administered for non-medical reasons, in
frequency and amount that may alter the general body
homeostasis of an individual.
 As the brain and body adjust physiologically to the
presence of drug, addiction manifests as the
development of tolerance to, and habitual use of,
drugs.

4.  Normally, adolescents and young adults seem to be
involved in such abuse including both genders (male in
greater proportion) and a higher mass of unemployed
population, children of foreign employers and street
children.
 Environmental factors like: stress, psychological conflict,
frustration, anxiety etc., and social factors like: peer
pressure, ads on communication media, Family history of
drug abuse, unemployment, residing in place where drugs
are easily available, etc. initiate the use of drugs.

5.  Drug abuse are responsible for the increasing rate of
problems, and these all are characterized by;
 Physical: Fatigue, repeated health complaints red eyes,
etc.
 Mental: Starting arguments, breaking rules, decreased
interest, negative attitude, drop in grades, discipline
problems, etc.
 Social and emotional: Personality change, sudden mood
changes, irritability, low self-esteem, poor judgment,
depression, etc.

6.  We must know that drug abuse is a treatable behavior and
drug addiction can be managed and prevented.
 Some ways to manage and prevent drug addiction are:
 For management:
 Medical detoxification
 Family’s love, care and affection
 Addressing associated medical, psychological and social
problems
 Counseling (Individual and/or Group)
 Other behavioral therapies, e.g. replacing drug use

7.  For prevention:
 Forbidding of alcohol and smoking since early childhood.
 Adequate supervision of the teen-agers
 Keeping the children engaged in meaningful activities like
sports
 Never forget to praise your children for his/her
accomplishments.

8.  Global Level
According to World Drug Report 2018, more than 250
million people use drugs globally. Almost 11 million
people injected drugs in 2017 and 1 in 8 people who inject
drugs is living with HIV.
 HCV (Hepatitis C Virus) is majorly transmitted due to
injection of drugs.
 Death prevalence due to drug abuse remains high world-
wide with some 4,50,000 people dying in 2015 among
whose, 1,67,756 were a direct result of drug abuse
disorder.

9.  According to the data of CHDU (Current Hard Drug
Users) survey, 2063 & 2069, conducted by Central Bureau
of Statistics in association with MoHA(Ministry of Home
Affairs), the number of drug abusers has drastically
increased in Nepal.
 There were 46,309 drug users in 2063 which nearly
doubled (increased by 98%) in 2069 with number of
abusers reaching 91,534. The annual growth rate is
11.36%.
 Among total users majority are male (85,204 i.e. 93.1%)
and rest female (6,330 i.e. 6.9%).

10. 40%
12%
8%
8%
7%
7%
7%
5%
4%
2%
Kathmandu
Others
Sunsari
Kaski
Morang
Jhapa
Rupandehi
Chitawan
Banke
Parsa

11. 33513
10559
6956 6414 6228 5764 5750
4151 3876
1993
3485
538 451 503 187 244 247 364 174 137
Male Female

12. 0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%
peer pressure curosity family
problem
other problem study problem
78.70%
58.50%
19.90%
13.80%
4.20%

13. Oral Route, 43%
Injection, 57%
Oral Route Injection

14. 1.40%
19.90%
33.20%
22.40%
13.70%
5.70%
3.70%
0.00%
5.00%
10.00%
15.00%
20.00%
25.00%
30.00%
35.00%
<15 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40 and
above

15. 6.3%
15.90%
41.90%
34.20%
1.7%
Illiterate/informal education
primary 1-5
secondary 6-10
SLC/Cerificate
Bachelor & above

16. • Drug abuse is associated with significant adverse health
effects and numbers of . While witnessing an overdose
and experiencing non-fatal or fatal overdose are common,
many countries still fail to provide adequate services and
programs related to drug abuse.
• People, though are educated and well known about its
effects, they are being ignorant and trying to live only in
present without thinking for long term, and for this
psychological and spiritual counseling may be more
fruitful rather than medical or any physical effort.

17.  Finally, there must be plan of action and international and
national cooperation towards a balanced and inclusive
strategy to combat the problem of drug abuse.
International society must act cooperatively to agree upon
efficacious solution.

18. Chhetri, M. B. (2004). Drug Addiction: The Nepalese Context.
International Narcotics Control Board. (2017). Report of the International Narcotics
Control Board for 2017 .
Ministry of Home Affairs Drug Control Program. (2013). HIV and AIDS Data Hub
for Asia Pacific. Survey Report on Current Hard Drug Users in Nepal:
http://www.aidsdatahub.org/Survey-Report-on-Current-Hard-Drug-Users-in-Nepal-
2013
Shrestha, G. (2069). Situation of Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Drugs in
Kathmandu & Challenges to Control.
UNODC. (2011). Misuse of Prescription Drugs: A South Asia Perspective. New
Delhi: Facet Design.