80 percent of kids in Delhi’s Seemapuri are addicted to drugs

admitted to using drugs themselves, in the old and new sections of the slum, respectively. Peer pressure caused 60 percent of substance use in the old part of Seemapuri while in the new part 32 percent was also caused by peer pressure and other factors including family history, curiosity, and accessibility.

The majority of the respondents said they believed that the children who abuse drugs in Seemapuri could be treated. However, they also believed detoxification and inpatient treatment programs were not successful.

The study also indicated that many children who sorted garbage used the money they made on drugs and that most criminal activities were motivated by money for toxic substances.

There is a need for a strategic plan to mitigate the ongoing harms and to improve the lives of the citizens in Seemapuri, the study stated.