Sociocultural Perspective of Substance Use in India

Abstract

The present communication focuses on a sociocultural perspective of substance use in a pluralistic and diverse culture. India has a history of use of plant products, viz., cannabis, opium, and home-brewed alcoholic beverages, within a defined sociocultural framework over five millennium. Cross-sectional epidemiological studies in the field of substance use in different parts of India show that certain social groups are more “vulnerable” to substance use. Caste, religion, and local customs and traditions play a significant role in the choice of drugs, their consumption, and their control in rural/semiurban populations. The intercultural barriers are diminishing in urban populations, and even alien drugs like heroin have been introduced. The social and cultural implications of the traditional vis-à-vis the altering drug use scene are discussed at length. [Translations are provided in the International Abstracts Section of this issue.]

Key Words:

• Sociocultural perspective
• Substance use
• Traditional drugs
• Ethnography
• Caste system
• Altering drug scene