Chaudhuri, AditiHS, SiddalingaiahSantra, RanjitaBhattacharyya, Debasis2023-06-172023-06-172022-08Chaudhuri Aditi, HS Siddalingaiah, Santra Ranjita, Bhattacharyya Debasis. Why MBBS Students are Taking to Substance Abuse ? — A Retrospective Study on the Pattern and Causes of Substance Abuse among the MBBS Students of West Bengal. Journal of The Indian Medical Association. 2022 Aug; 120(8): 28-330019-5847http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/216475Background : Substance abuse is an important health hazard and also a major preventable cause of morbidity and mortality. This habit not only affects health, education and occupational career, but also incurs huge financial and social burden to the society specially when the doctors are involved in it. Aims and objectives : To estimate the prevalence of substance abuse, its pattern and causes among the MBBS students of West Bengal. Methods : A questionnaire based cross-sectional retrospective study was designed to collect data from the Medical Officers of the State to record their experience of substance abuse during their MBBS course. Results : The prevalence of substance abuse was 22% among the study participants. Smoking Tobacco was most common (16.67%). 76% of the subjects with substance abuse spend Rs1000 or less per month. The prevalence was 25% in upper class and 22.22% among those who belonged to lower class of socio-economic status as per BG Prasad Classification. Curiosity was the reason as per 34.5% of the subjects followed by depression (23.25%), peer pressure (13%) study pressure by 15%; media influence by 11%; to cope with home problems by 10.75% and parental influence by 2.25% of the study subjects. Conclusion : The institution should keep a Psychological Counselor who can guide the students who suffer from problems related to Depression, Peer pressure, Study pressure that may lead to substance abuse. Allotting, hobbies, sports and recreation would help in keeping away from substance abuseSubstance abuseTobacco smokingMedical studentsAlcohol abuseMental healthJournal ArticleIndiaMBBS, MD, PGDGM, FAIMER Fellow, Associate Professor,Department of Community Medicine, Deben Mahata Government Medical College & Hospital, Purulia 723147 and Corresponding AuthorMD, Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Shridevi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Hospital, Karnataka 572106MD, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Deben Mahata Government Medical College & Hospital, West Bengal 723147MD, PhD, Professor, Director of Medical Education & Director, Institute of Health & Family Welfare, Kolkata 700 091