AWARENESS ABOUT DRUG ABUSE AMONG MALE ADOLESCENTS IN RELATION TO DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES

Majority of drug abuse among youth starts in school, the school population is the best place for early detection and prevention of substance abuse in the adolescent population. Studies in adolescent population have demonstrated a positive association between awareness about drug abuse and their attitudes toward drugs. So there is a great need to aware adolescents about such type of hazardous problem. The sample of the present study included 100 male students studying in 11th and 12th class of 5 senior secondary schools of Mohali district of Punjab. Data were collected through a self developed questionnaire and analysed using mean, standard deviation and t-test. Study indicated that there was no difference in awareness about drug abuse between students belonging to rural and urban locality. Level of students' awareness about drug abuse was significantly increased with increase in the parental educational level. In addition, in the current study, adolescents belonging to higher income families showed higher level of drug abuse awareness.