Addiction Research in South Asia

Substance Use Disorders lead to significant morbidity and mortality in South Asia. Epidemiological studies show that alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and opioid use disorders are highly prevalent and that rates of the same are rising among adolescents and young adults. Research in the area of SUD from South Asia has focused mostly on patterns and correlates of use. There is a paucity of research on areas such as neurobiology, prevention, treatment, law, and policy. The available research is also largely from India and from a relatively small number of centers. In this chapter, we review some of these studies and highlight areas that require further research, including collaborations across centers in different countries.