Youth hit the bottle

MUMBAI, SEPT 30: The vision of groups of students lounging against pillars in Churchgate's bustling subway, slugging back vodka disguised...

MUMBAI, SEPT 30: The vision of groups of students lounging against pillars in Churchgate8217;s bustling subway, slugging back vodka disguised as soft drinks in thermocol glasses while they bunk class is symptomatic of a disturbing trend in Mumbai8217;s schools and colleges. To battle this trend, Seva Dhan with the support of the General Insurance Company, has started an Alcoholic Awareness Programme to make an impact on some 50,000 collegians from September to December.

Consulting psychiatrist, working with Seva Dhan, Harish Shetty, contends that 8220;alcohol abuse is so rampant among college students that most of them peg beer as just another beverage8217;, just like any other cola. Quite often teenagers begin drinking in school itself.

8220;Even though no proper survey has been carried out in colleges, almost 90 per cent of the time, youngsters are influenced by the media to drink alcohol. They begin to believe that it is cool8217; to be high8217; on alcohol, and Seva Dhan is trying to erase these misconceptions,8221; headds

The youth drink on trains, in cinema halls, empty classrooms and of course, at parties and rock shows, he says. 8220;Many youngsters even bet to win beer bottles,8221; adds Dr Shetty.

The easy availability of alcohol has contributed to the problem. In the Churchgate subway, for example, 8220;the soft drinks counter and the wine shop are in the subway, making it easy to disguise the alcohol in Coca Cola or Fanta,8221; said Vikas, an SYJC student of a popular south Mumbai college. Seva Dhan has already held its awareness programme in ten city colleges, including Wilson, NM College of Commerce, Dalmia Malad, Sathye Vile Parle, Chetana Bandra, SNDT Juhu and Saraf Malad.

Student counsellor, Wilson college, Charmayne D8217;souza, found the Seva Dhan programme to be excellent as it conveyed the message simply. 8220;The 90-minute awareness programme was attended by junior and senior college students. An ex-alcoholic spoke about his life, cautioning students in their own language,8221; she said.

Though the problemof alcohol is still not as bad as broken relationships or family disputes among the youth, Charmayne said that many students approach her when they fear that their parents know about their social drinking8217;.

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8220;We have come across many cases of drinking due to peer pressure. Thus we are boldly introducing slogans in the campus, like Drinking with Dad is also Bad8217;, and Drink, Drive and Die8217;,8221; said Dr Shetty. Seva Dhan will also contact celebrities who have featured in alcohol advertisements, such as Ajay Jadeja, Shah Rukh Khan, Sunny Deol, Shatrughan Sinha, Saurav Ganguly and Dharmendra. 8220;We would like to make them aware of a damage they have wrought. We strongly believe that the recent Jessica Lal shootout could have been avoided if guns and liquor were not glamorised in films,8221; said Dr Shetty.

Welcoming the anti-alcohol propaganda, Principal D B Kadam of Bhavan8217;s College, cited an extreme case of alcohol abuse. 8220;An above average student, enrolled in an engineering college after HSC. However, hefailed to clear his first year for five years in succession, mainly because he spent more time in pubs rather than in the lab,8221; recalls Kadam.

On realising that he could never become an engineer, he met Kadam, a psychology professor, and told him his tale. 8220;Out of curiosity I have visited pubs and bars and have noticed there are special happy hours for college students in the afternoons. This generation is doomed if we do not do something quickly,8221; he commented.

Dr Anjali Chhabaria, psychiatrist, states that modern day stress is the main reason for drinking. 8220;Life is so fast paced that children have started committing suicide at the ages of 11 and 12. Youngsters go to parties where alcohol is served. The sudden cultural flux has contributed to the problem,8221; she remarked.