Introduction Substance abuse is the use of a drug or other substance for a non-medical use, with the aim of producing some type of 'mind-altering' effect in the user. This includes both the use of illegally produced substances, and the abuse of legal drugs, in a use for which the substance was not intended. Often this involves use of the substance in excessive quantities to produce pleasure, to alleviate stress, or to alter or avoid reality (or all three). Addiction is a state of physical or psychological dependence on a substance. Physical addiction includes the development of tolerance (needing more and more of the drug to achieve the same effect) and withdrawal symptoms that appear when the user stops taking the drug, and disappear when more of the drug is taken. The non medical use of habit-forming drugs is not a new phenomenon. Its extent and more certainly, its pattern and trends may have differed, but it has been with us for generations (Andrews and Solomon, 1975). However, the problem in recent times has assumed dangerous proportions. Among young people the drug abuse has become more or less a part of their subculture. Drug abuse in India is as old as elsewhere, if not older. From the very beginning, cannabis drugs have been in use. Ancient books are replete with references to intoxicants such as Soma rasa, dev booty, madira etc. Opium became popular during the Mughal period. Until recently cocaine had many enthusiasts, especially in the red light area. The post-war period saw the rise of synthetic drugs- both stimulants and depressants. Long ago Chopra and Chopra (1957) had written much about the use of intoxicants, particularly about cannabis (ganja) and opium in India. Then Khan and Krishna (1982) enlightened about the use of hard drugs such as heroin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Now users in cities also know hallucinogens such as Angel Dust. Nevertheless it is too difficult to assert that the prevalence rate of psychoactive drugs in the...