Over 50% high school students unaware of causes, effects of drug abuse: DIET research PROBLEM: Cigarette smoking often acts as gateway to drugs Among girls, sleeping pills most used substance after tobacco SOLUTION: Immediate awareness progs in schools to address information gap Prevention of experimentation among adolescents Srinagar, Jun 17: A startling research has revealed deep and widespread awareness about narcotics and substance abuse among school-going children in Srinagar, with sleeping pills, nail paint, morphine, bhang, opium, and inhalants emerging among the most commonly identified and abused substances by teenagers, according to an action research project submitted to the Principal DIET Srinagar. The study, conducted on 3,100 students from Classes 9th to 12th across 20 secondary and higher secondary schools of Srinagar district, paints a disturbing picture of growing exposure of adolescents to drugs, addictive substances, and inhalants at a very young age.  The research has found that the students between the age group of 12 and 19 years displayed striking familiarity not only with conventional narcotics such as heroin, charas, morphine, and cannabis but also with everyday household and stationery items, allegedly being misused as intoxicants. According to the findings, cigarette smoking emerged as the most commonly identified substance among students, with 53.99 per cent of boys and 47.36 per cent of girls reporting awareness about cigarettes being used as drugs.