Inside the Minds of School Students: Attitudes, perception, responses and source of information regarding Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in rural India
This qualitative study of 353 rural Indian adolescents reveals that while most students hold negative attitudes toward narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, gender-based differences in curiosity and risk perception, combined with reliance on unreliable social media sources and weak family communication, highlight the urgent need for targeted, gender-sensitive prevention programs.
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In the complex landscape of human development, adolescence is a time when the brain is particularly open to learning from the world around it. Two powerful ideas help explain how young people form their views on risky behaviors. One suggests that people learn by watching others; if a friend, a celebrity, or a character on a screen makes a behavior look normal or exciting, a young person is likely to copy it. The other idea focuses on how individuals judge danger; if a person believes a risk is low or the reward is high, they are more likely to take that chance. These mental processes shape everything from fashion choices to health habits, and they become especially critical when it comes to substances that can harm the body and mind. Understanding how teenagers in rural India perceive these substances is vital, because the gap between what they know and what they feel can determine whether they experiment or stay safe.
A team of researchers from Farook College in Kerala, India, set out to explore exactly this gap. They wanted to move beyond simple statistics about how many students use drugs and instead listen to the students themselves. The study focused on 353 school students, aged 16 to 18, from government schools in rural areas. The researchers did not ask the students to fill out a standard checklist with yes or no answers. Instead, they gathered the students in groups and asked them open-ended questions, inviting them to write down their own thoughts on what comes to mind when they hear the term "narcotic drugs," what they believe the benefits and harms are, where they get their information, and what they would do if a friend started using these substances. This approach allowed the researchers to hear the nuances of the students' minds, capturing not just their facts, but their feelings and contradictions.
The results revealed a landscape of mixed signals. The vast majority of students held a negative view of drug use. When asked if drug use was good or bad, 144 boys and 180 girls immediately said it was bad. They used strong words like "poison," "danger," and "dirty business." They understood that drugs could destroy their future, damage their organs, and lead to addiction. However, a smaller but significant group of students showed a different side. A few boys and girls expressed curiosity, or said that drugs could be "both good and bad." Some described drugs as a way to escape stress, to feel happy, or to experience a "trip to heaven." This ambivalence suggests that while most students know the rules, a vulnerable few are still tempted by the idea of the reward, seeing the risks as something that might not happen to them.
When the researchers dug deeper into what the students believed about the effects of drugs, a clear pattern of misunderstanding emerged alongside the correct knowledge. Many students correctly identified severe physical harms, such as damage to the liver, heart, and lungs, and the risk of death. Yet, a surprising number of students also believed that drugs could offer temporary benefits, such as better sleep, increased energy, or even enhanced creativity and concentration. Some thought drugs could help them solve problems or make them feel fearless. This coexistence of knowing the danger while believing in the benefit creates a dangerous confusion. It is as if a person knows a fire burns, but also believes it can keep them warm, leading them to play with the flame.
The source of this confusion became clear when the researchers asked where the students got their information. The most dominant source was social media, followed by friends. Family and schools were mentioned much less frequently. Students reported seeing celebrities and influencers on platforms like YouTube and Instagram who seemed to normalize or even glamorize substance use. They also noted that their peers often talked about drugs in a way that made them seem like a fun trend or a way to fit in. In contrast, the family, which is traditionally a strong pillar of guidance in Indian society, appeared to be silent on the topic. The students did not hear much about the dangers from their parents, leaving them to rely on the internet and their friends, where the message is often mixed or misleading.
The study also looked at how these students would react if someone close to them started using drugs. The responses split along gender lines. Most female students said they would try to help, offering advice or encouraging the person to seek professional counseling. They seemed more emotionally sensitive to the risks and more willing to intervene. Male students, on the other hand, were more likely to say they would distance themselves or avoid the person using drugs. They expressed fear of being influenced or simply did not want to get involved. This difference suggests that boys and girls are socialized to handle these situations in different ways, with girls leaning toward support and boys toward self-protection.
The researchers concluded that while these rural students generally know that drugs are bad, their understanding is not enough to protect them from the pull of curiosity and peer pressure. The knowledge they have is often overshadowed by the messages they see online and the attitudes of their friends. The study suggests that simply telling students that drugs are dangerous is not working. Instead, prevention efforts need to address the specific ways boys and girls think about these risks, tackle the misinformation spread by social media, and encourage families to start open conversations. Without these changes, the gap between what students know and what they do will remain, leaving them vulnerable to the very real dangers of substance abuse.
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