1

Increasing crime rates and drug abuse have become Bhutan’s major concern for its youth.

Identify and explain reasons why Bhutan is seeing this shift in youth behavior

“The future of nation lies in the hands of our younger generations.It is, therefore, crucial that

they live up to our high expectations and ensure the continued well-being of the people and

security of the nation.”- His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuk. The isolated Himalayan

nation of Bhutan is experiencing record economic growth. The introduction of democracy, the

arrival of television and the Internet, and the impact of rural-urban migration have all contributed

to the erosion of an ancient, traditional way of life. Bhutanese youth are at a crossroads, facing

choices and responsibilities their parents never experienced. The most common problems of

teenagers involving in drug abuse and alcoholic abuse are primarily caused due to increase in

unemployment rate, effects of media, lack of parental guidance and also due to peer influences

which leads to the commission of violent crime.

Studies have noted that unemployment among youth accounts for a major portion of total

unemployment. As reported by Chua (2008, p 4). “Many youths would rather go unemployed

than accept a job that does not live up to their expected salaries or reflects their level of

qualification.” Education officials and employment officials acknowledge a mismatch in the jobs

available and persons seeking employment. According to Tobgyal,” The young people most

often do not possess the appropriate skills or experience and usually takes longer time to get into

a job”. (2005, p45). His majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo has commanded that, “at no stage of our

development process a situation should arise whereby there is no gainful employment for our

educated youth”. In response to the mismatch of expectations in skill level between employers

and prospective youths, the joint director of the counselling division, Tshering Dolkar suggests
 2

that “vocational assessment will help provide a systematic and objective assessment of

vocational and educational guidance to young students.” However it is important to realize, that

there is no possible way for unemployment to be completely eradicated.

In the developing phase the media has become major issue on problem amongst the youngsters

and country’s development. After all the major branch, for the development of country and

future lies in the hand of the youngsters. media has caused many unusual behavior, habits and

abilities, zero privacy. This causes brings unimaginable consequences. Whereas in pre-media

days, families sat around together singing, telling stories, and joking, today they’re facing the

television (TV) screen and wrangling over the remote control. Nim Dorji, formerly an employee

of Bhutan’s department of agriculture but now the managing director of Snow Lion Adventure

Travels, says, “In my family, my children like to watch cartoons; my mother-in-law is very keen

on Hindi movie serials. There’s always some kind of conflict, so I had to buy a TV for my

mother-in-law. The only time we meet is mealtime. Soon after that, she goes back to her

bedroom and watches television. Things are changing.” The future of Bhutanese youth is at

stake. Other than the obvious economic and political repercussions of unemployment, studies

have shown that statistically significant correlations exist between unemployment and certain

mental indicators such as drug abuse. Drug abuse are completely new occurrence in the

Bhutanese society. Pharmaceutical medicines such as pain killers, cough syrup, and inhalants are

among the most commonly abused drugs. Marijuana use is also a large and growing issue, as it

grows naturally and is widely available. In addition, the open and porous border with India

allows for easy trafficking of drugs.

 3

Although others say that parents must play a greater role in addressing the issue but many

parents do not seem to be aware which led the youth to indulge in drug abuse. According to

Bhutan narcotic control agency (BNCA), increasing over dose (OD) deaths could be attributed to

abusers mixing drugs with alcohol. The frequency of delinquency is assumed to rise from the

early to mid-adolescence and peak at late adolescence or early adulthood when the young people

experience feelings of self-rule from their parents and take risks on their own. They achieve

strength and agility required for certain delinquent acts while the involvement with peers is also

likely to increase because of increased opportunity and optimal situations to depart from parental

command. “Adolescent have more time to socialize than children because children are kept at

home and are more closely monitored, and adolescents have more time than adults, who are tied

up with family, home, and career responsibilities” (Robinson & Godbey, 1997, Lotz. R & Lee.L,

1999). The societies should never fail in providing the preeminent guidance and facilities to our

youth and keep a close investigation to them not as delinquents but as lively yet delicate thoughts

so as to address the problems related to them. Minor problems are inevitable for a society that is

undergoing swift alterations every single fleeting day.

Growing participation of adolescents in a variety of criminal violations already specifies that

juvenile delinquency requires the crucial consideration. It is critical time to stare at this budding

social problem from the wider academic perspective in order to trigger further research useful for

effective preventive policy measures. Male juveniles are more probable to commit crime than the

females. Among 38 different offences, property theft and burglary constitute the most recurrent

crimes. The growth of minor property theft and burglary in urban centers point out that new

social and environmental factors make such areas conducive to crime (Dorji, 2005, January,

p.80).Substance misapplication is not a new issues in Bhutan. The issue is so extensive that it has
 4

pierced into the smallest of town settlements as figures with the Bhutan narcotic control agency

(BNCA) indicate. Of 817 arrests made between 1989-2005, a few were even from remote places

such as Sakteng. The report also states that the maximum (91%) were youth under 24 years and

56 percent of abusers were students (kuensel, 2010, April29). According to the president of Druk

Chirwang Tshogpa (DCT), the party aims to speak the challenge related to substance abuse in

youth by increasing greater awareness among youth, sternly nursing and controlling the entry of

drugs into the country, supporting and increasing the number of rehabilitation centres and

enhancing counselling. Bhutan is learning from the global community that we can’t look away

from the serious delinquent of drug and liquor enslavement. The Bhutan Foundation faiths to

support the YDF in reestablishing a rehabilitation center for drug and alcohol recovery in

Thimphu (Bhutan foundation, n.d., p.154).

 5

References

Bhutans population is young. Retrieved from http://www.bhutanfound.org/?p=154

Bhutan foundation.(n.d). Bhutan’s population is young.

Retrieved from http://mms.thlib.org/typescripts/0000/0313/1650

Chua, M.(2008).The Pursuit of Happiness: Issues facing Bhutanese youths and the challenges

Posed to Gross National Happiness. Retrieved from

http://www.isas.nus.edu.sg/Attachments/ResearchAttachment/Report%20%20Melissa

%20(13%20Aug%2008).pdf

Dorji, L. & Kuenga, S.(2005). Youth in Bhutan: Education, Employment, Development.

Retrieved from http://mms.thlib.org/typescripts/0000/0313/1650.pdf

Drug use.

Retrieved from http://www.unodc.org/southasia//frontpage/2012/May/bhutansafeguarding-

youth- from-the-perils-of-drug-use.h _
 6

Knaster, M. (2008). Bhutan at cross roads.

Retrived from http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/bhutan_crossroads

Winslow, R. Crime and society: a comparative criminology tour of the world.

Retrieved from http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/rwinslow/asia_pacific/bhutan.html

Major characteristics of the country relevant to the drug and crime problem. Retrieved from

http://www.unodc.org/pdf/india/publications/south_Asia_Regional_Profile_Sept_2005/9

bhutan.pdf