Cases of substance abuse among women surge; it's matter of concern, say experts
Prof Adarsh Tripathi from the psychiatry department at KGMU said over the past 8-10 years, addiction among women has rapidly increased.
According to the 2019 report by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and AIIMS New Delhi, 1.6% of Indian women use alcohol, 0.26% use opioids, 0.34% use cannabis, and 8.9% use tobacco — mostly in smokeless forms. These numbers rose compared to earlier data, showing a growing problem.
Prof Tripathi explained that around 2000, fewer than 2-3% of women in India used substances. By 2015, a survey found nearly 7% of women were using some substance.
A recent govt data confirms that the trend is rising.
In Uttar Pradesh, the NFHS-5 survey shows that 16.6% of women use tobacco, much higher than the national average. Alcohol use among women in UP is 0.4%, but given the large population, this still means many women need help.
The most common substances used by women are alcohol, tobacco, sleeping pills and cannabis. One worrying pattern seen in women is the "telescoping effect", where they become addicted more quickly than men once they start using substances.
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"Women become addicted in 4-5 years while the average time for men is 10 years," he said.
Women also tend to use multiple substances together more often than men. They usually begin using substances after age 20, often between 25-30 years, and the reasons are often emotional—such as abuse, neglect, financial troubles, and stress from marriage or violence.
Prof Pawan Kumar, another psychiatrist at KGMU, said many women begin using drugs with prescription medicines and then shift to alcohol or other drugs.
Young women are also often introduced to substance use by male partners.
Prof Sumit Rungta, head of the gastroenterology department, said the harmful effects of substances — like liver disease, cancers, nerve damage and anaemia — appear more quickly in women.
Experts warn that substance use among women will likely keep increasing due to changing lifestyles, urban living, growing freedom, and media influence.Currently, most de-addiction centres are designed for men. Experts say UP needs treatment centres that support women, offer mental health care, childcare, and reduce the social shame that stops many women from seeking help.
Prof Tripathi also pointed out that films and social media often show substance use as normal or glamorous, which can influence young minds.
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