32. Webinar: Social Determinants of Substance Use among Young People by Prof.(Dr.) Rajesh Nair

• Parents, educators, and school administrators aiming to spot early warning signs and build protective environments for children.

• Public health workers, psychology students, and researchers interested in epidemiological data and social determinants of health.

• Policymakers and social workers involved in youth welfare, addiction prevention, and community advocacy.

Part 1: Scope of the Crisis & Prevalence Statistics in India

• [05:03] — Speaker Background & Public Health Context: Host Mr. Raj Alampur introduces Dr. Rajesh Nair, highlighting his extensive career in health psychology, HIV/substance use interventions, and public health projects across multiple Indian states.

• [11:17] — Defining Social Determinants: Distinguishing between direct causal factors (e.g., physiological addiction) and structural, underlying social determinants that elevate vulnerability.

• [13:58] — Rising Trends across Northern States: Documenting the shift of substance use patterns (tobacco, alcohol, opioids, inhalants) beyond traditional regions into states like Haryana and Punjab.

• [20:05] — Key Prevalence Data (Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, 2019):

  • [20:15] — Alcohol: ~17% of adults (27% male, 2% female) and ~2% of children aged 10–17 are active alcohol users.

  • [22:45] — Opioids: ~2% of the total population (~4% male, 0.2% female) and 1.8% of adolescents (10–17 years) are current opioid users.

  • [24:18] — Cannabis: ~1% of children (10–17 years) and ~5% of adult males actively use cannabis products.

  • [26:58] — Inhalants: Children aged 10–17 show the highest vulnerability to household inhalants (solvents, thinners, white-out, petrol) at 1.17%.

Part 2: Macro & Micro Determinants of Substance Use

• [29:13] — Global Youth Tobacco Data (GYTS): Over 68,000–84,000 young people under 20 become regular smokers daily.

• [31:45] — Regulatory Enforcements & COTPA 2003: Discussing the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) and the widespread commercial availability of addictive products around educational institutions.

• [33:00] — Debunking Myths & Common Misconceptions: Addressing dangerous societal myths surrounding hookah, e-cigarettes, and casual substance consumption.

• [43:03] — Macro-Level Social Determinants (UNODC World Drug Report):

  • [43:34] — Poverty & Socioeconomic Deprivation: High availability of adulterated, low-cost substances in marginalized and slum communities.

  • [44:56] — Homelessness, Child Labor, & Anti-Social Environments: Structural vulnerabilities exposing working children to early substance initiation.

• [46:52] — Micro-Level & Environmental Determinants:

  • [46:55] — Family Dynamics: Lack of parental involvement, abusive or neglectful parenting, and accessible alcohol/tobacco within households.

  • [48:32] — School Climate: Poor educational quality, lack of health education, absence of after-school sports/extracurricular engagement, and peer bullying.

  • [49:56] — Peer & Individual Characteristics: High sensation-seeking traits, impulsivity, untreated mental health distress, and peer pressure.

Part 3: Protective Factors & Evidence-Based Interventions

• [52:31] — Core Protective Mechanisms:

  • [53:04] — Caregiver Involvement & Monitoring: Active observation and engagement by parents, older siblings, coaches, and teachers.

  • [53:54] — Emotional Regulation & Active Coping Skills: Teaching youth self-soothing, emotional discipline, and active problem-solving over passive avoidance.

  • [55:52] — Physical Safety & Social Inclusion: Policies integrating marginalized, street-dwelling, and at-risk youth into supportive social networks.

  • [56:46] — Safe Neighborhoods & School Environments: Re-establishing community dialogues and creating positive, holistic school ecosystems.

Part 4: Interactive Q&A & Public Health Infrastructure

• [01:09:44] — Public vs. Private Sector Collaboration: Addressing government responsibility, regulatory enforcement, and the need for public-private partnerships in healthcare scaling.

• [01:13:21] — The Triple Burden of Disease in India: Managing infectious diseases, non-communicable lifestyle disorders (including mental health), and external injury/suicide risks.

• [01:14:34] — Shortage of Mental Health Professionals: Highlighting that ~15% of the population requires mental health support while India operates with only ~15,000–20,000 trained psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and social workers.

Special Event Announcement

• [01:19:12] — Certification & PPT Resource Access: Host Mr. Raj Alampur details instructions for claiming participation certificates and accessing Dr. Nair's presentation slides via the description links.

Subscribe to access empirically robust webinars, professional life skills panels, and evidence-based mental health awareness updates.

• Watch the full session here: Watch on YouTube

📢 Your perspective dictates your reality! Like, share, and subscribe to support positive, scientific mental health advocacy!