Life in the fast lane: prevention of substance abuse among youth -- a challenge in India.

Youth is a phase of experimentation rebellion and change-the-wild ideas in to actions. Youth constitute about one-fifth of India’s population the shape of India’s future lies in their hands. This paper first explores the causes of addiction among youth to substances and examines why prevention .of substance abuse in India is a challenge. It then critically reviews some of the intervention strategies employed for prevention and rehabilitation in various parts of the country in varying contents. Differentiation is made between school and college-based programmes programmes for youth in difficult situations community based prevention programmes and rehabilitation of addicts. The shortcomings of existing approaches lie in isolating the problem ignoring local traditions and socio-economic differences and the inadequacy to reach out all the groups. Use of alternative methodologies in substance use research the need to have research on the perspective of youth towards the problem their inner strengths and the role of peer groups in prevention and rehabilitation are stressed. (authors)