Telangana placed 15th in number of tipplers

A national survery by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment shows that an estimated 50.40 lakh of Telangana's population aged between 18 and 75 years consumes liquor

Hyderabad: Telangana is placed in the 15th position in terms of number of tipplers with an estimated of 50.40 lakh of the population aged between 18 and 75 years consuming liquor, a national survey conducted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said.

According to the survey, Chhattisgarh topped the list with 43.5 per cent of its population consuming alcohol while Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh stood in second and third places with 38.4 per cent and 37.3 per cent of the population consuming liquor. The estimated number of users in Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh are 10.89 lakh and 3.60 lakh respectively.

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With respect to marijuana, Telangana was way down in the list with just around 0.72 per cent of the population using drugs, while it was 2.06 per cent in opioids category and 1.31 per cent using sedatives.

In inhalants category, it is 0.62 per cent with 1.65 lakh estimated users while it is 0.08 per cent with 22,000 users in cocaine category. The Ministry has conducted a survey in 2018 and the report was published in 2019.

Replying to a question on drug addiction among youth, Minister of State of Social Justice and Empowerment A Narayanaswamy said Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) being implemented in 272 most vulnerable districts under which a massive community outreach is being done through more than 8000 youth volunteers.

More than 80 lakh people including a sizeable number of women and children have been reached out under the Abhiyaan.

The Ministry has been maintaining 380 Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts (IRCAs) not only for treating the drug victims but also to provide services of preventive education, awareness generation, motivational counseling, detoxification/de-addiction, after care and re-integration into the social mainstream.

It is also maintaining 60 Community based Peer led Intervention (CPLI) Centres with focus on vulnerable and at risk children and adolescents. Under this, peer educators who are young adults engage children for awareness generation and life skill activities.

The government is maintaining 93 Outreach and Drop In Centres (ODICs) to provide safe and secure space for substance users, with provision of screening, assessment and counseling and thereafter provide referral and linkage to treatment and rehabilitation services for substance dependence.

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