A Reterospective Study of Opium Addicts in Deaddiction Camps and Rural Community in Western Rajasthan

Drug abuse problem is worsening day by day specially in the that desert of Rajasthan. Generally people start opium at social gatherings as it is customary to offer. It affects the socio-economic conditions of the addicts family in long run. Though it is customary and a must to offer opium in all social functions, but opium business is done underground due to government laws. A method to tackle the problem is to organise de-addiction camps in the villages. The prevalence rate of opium addicts is never reported earlier, this study shows a prevalence rate of 13.4% of adult males in western Rajasthan. Caste-wise addiction rate as reported is interesting and important to understand, the pivotal position of caste in rural Rajasthan. They start opium above the age of 20 years and the consumption quantity gradually goes up. Generally around the age of 45 years they opt for de-addiction which is seldom available. Camp approach of de-addiction is felt to be the best method in the emic sense of the problem. A social movement may bring about a change in the customs of the people of this region

Addiction · Caste · Criminology · Opium · Political science · Psychiatry · Rural area · Social science · Socioeconomics · Sociology · COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies · Law · Medicine