A recent study has revealed that children in Meghalaya start using drugs as early as the age of 10, significantly younger than the average starting age of 22 reported in Manipur and Nagaland.

The study, published in the April-June 2025 issue of the Indian Journal of Public Health, was carried out by researchers from the Indian Institute of Public Health, Shillong, in partnership with the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society.

Researchers surveyed 128 individuals undergoing opioid substitution therapy across East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills, and East Jaintia Hills districts, as well as 17 service providers.