Familial And Communal Factors Spreading Drug Addiction in Suburban Slum Areas

The emergence of drug use among children and their inclination towards addiction has become an epidemic that has thoroughly seeped into society and now overwhelmingly trickling down to younger generation. The present qualitative and descriptive study was designed to investigate the familial and social reasons that have contributed to the emergence of drug use among children, the type of drugs mostly used by them and the way they access to drugs. The study further explored how the families are being affected due to the presence of an addict in the family. Ten students of Malir University were selected through purposive sampling and interviewed by using an open-ended questionnaire, and the results were drawn through thematic analysis. The results indicate that lack of parents' support & absence of family quality time in which proper care and emotional feelings of the children are not being addressed and they feel neglected and being left out appeared to be the main reasons for children diverting towards different types of drug abuse. Other reasons included lack of understanding about the harmful effects of drug use and their easy accessibility. The study suggested awareness of parents, highlighting the importance of parental care, support, and guidance to develop self-confidence and self-esteem among children to protect them from any danger. Workshops at the community level need to be conducted to provide drug education to parents & the general public about drug types, their negative physical and psychological effects, and how to save the children from this menace. The active participation of civil society and media is also important to work towards drug reduction.