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Guwahati: Guwahati schools hold the highest risk for adolescent substance use in India. A multi-centre study tracking 6,168 students across 108 schools pinpointed the city as the primary concern. Nagpur and Puducherry reported the lowest levels of risk. The findings appear in The Lancet Regional Health—Southeast Asia.
Researchers surveyed participants in Kamrup, Gorakhpur, Nagpur, Rajkot, Deoghar, and Puducherry during 2025-26. Overall, 21.4% of students fall into moderate-to-high risk categories. Specifically, 10.3% are at moderate risk and 11.1% are at high risk. The remaining 78.6% are low risk.
The study highlights a 35.1 percentage-point gap in risk between Guwahati and Nagpur. About 37.9% to 40% of this regional disparity stems from socio-economic factors, school environments, and individual personality traits. Scientists from various AIIMS locations and JIPMER Puducherry conducted the work, funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research.
Access matters. Easy availability of addictive substances increases risk by 75%. High digital exposure raises the odds by 44%. Conversely, stronger social engagement acts as a shield against addiction. The study noted that male adolescents showed lower odds of high risk than their female peers.
Dr. Rashmi Agarwalla from AIIMS Guwahati joined the team to assess data using the WHO ASSIST tool and the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale. The authors noted, "The findings highlight substantial regional variation in adolescent substance use risk in India." Experts now urge tighter enforcement on substance access and better media literacy programs to protect students.
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