No jobs, no future: In Canada, drugs are Indian students’ last resort

When the going gets tough, many a young dreamer’s life goes to pot. This is the case for numerous students from various regions of India who have gone to Canada in pursuit of education and jobs.The country’s escalating unemployment crisis has plunged many Indian students into a perilous spiral of drug and alcohol abuse, alongside heightened levels of depression and a surge in therapy sessions to combat stress, according to Canada-based counsellors TOI spoke with.The counsellors said students are turning to marijuana and cocaine, hallucinogenic drugs like ecstasy, and opioids like fentanyl as a coping mechanism while grappling with the weight of financial strain from hefty education loans, the exorbitant cost of living and the economic fallout of joblessness.The counsellors reported seeing a monthly average of five to eight cases of excessive alcohol and drug consumption over the past few months. The counsellors TOI contacted chose to stay anonymous to respect the patient confidentiality agreement. According to a counsellor in Toronto, the majority of postgraduate degree holders in Canada are currently struggling to secure employment.For one student from Badlapur in Maharashtra, currently in British Columbia’s Burnaby city for a degree in environmental science, the realisation that even degree-holding seniors were relegated to irregular, paid-by-the-hour jobs sparked a spiral into addiction.“In my second semester, I saw seniors around me doing ad hoc jobs to get by. It stressed me out, and I started to believe I would meet a similar fate. That’s when I started smoking, then alcohol and eventually marijuana,” the 25-year-old said.Recognising the gravity of his situation after failing a semester, he sought professional help from a psychologist and is currently undergoing treatment. However, therapy sessions carry a hefty price tag — each session ranging from Canadian $70 to $150 (₹4,200-9,100) or more.Big loan burdenThere are currently about 3 lakh Indian students, according to Canadian Bureau for International Education. Many of these students take loans, ranging from ₹20 lakh to ₹40 lakh on average, to enrol in universities and colleges in Canada. However, the transition from campus to corporate life appears bleak.With their Canadian dream nearly shattered, many students are even left vulnerable to self-harm.“I have had suicidal thoughts over the prospect of being unable to repay my loan. Despite searching for a job for six months, I haven’t been successful. I have moved in with my distant aunt for the time being because I can’t afford rent. Thankfully, I had her place to stay. Otherwise, I’m not sure where I would end up,” said Mahima Chaudhary, a computer science student in Surrey, British Columbia.She has no addiction-related issues, but struggling with unemployment-induced stress. With the gig economy also taking a severe blow, students who depend on part-time jobs — like waiting in restaurants, and working as couriers and store clerks — to sustain themselves in the country are experiencing heightened financial frustration.“Earlier, addiction cases were predominantly among students from Punjab, Haryana and Jharkhand. Now, we see students from Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana reaching out for help,” said a certified counsellor of Indian origin practicing in Richmond, British Columbia, for the past 13 years.Anything for a fixDespite the financial burden, students find ways to fund their addiction. According to friends and acquaintances, students resort to deceptive means, including deceiving family members back home or working multiple odd jobs. Or, cutting down on expenses like rent and groceries.“My former roommate has moved in with four others in a crammed accommodation. He stopped eating either at home or outside, works multiple shifts and rides a bicycle to reach faraway locations,” said a 27-year-old in Vancouver. “Drug dealers even extend credit to regular customers because they know they would come back for more.”Students from affluent backgrounds have easier access to financial resources, exacerbating the problem. “They borrow money from rich friends or their families in India, falsely stating that it is for essential expenses like housing deposits, licence fees, books or medical fees. In some cases, they even approach local relatives in Canada for financial assistance,” said a 30-year-old accountant employed at a chain of multipurpose stores in Iqaluit, Nunavut. A counsellor from Delta, British Columbia, with more than eight years of experience, shared the story of a patient — who had moved to Richmond from a town near Kolkata in 2021 for a postgraduate course in supply chain management.“He finished his master’s degree in June 2023. Following that, he worked at a restaurant and a convenience store to cover his expenses. Despite his efforts, Rajesh struggled to secure employment due to intense competition in the job market and economic instability. The frustration of being unable to support his family back home led him into isolation and eventually towards recreational drug use,” the counsellor said.His addiction spiralled out of control last year. “He stopped eating, left his jobs and began using drugs regularly. Concerned, his roommates reached out to his distant cousin, who then brought him to me. Since December 2023, he has been undergoing rehabilitation,” the counsellor said.Deportation threatThe repercussions of drug abuse extend beyond personal consequences. Universities impose disciplinary measures and law enforcement agencies can send back any foreign student caught with drugs to their home country.As the threat of deportation looms large for those caught engaging in substance abuse, counsellors prescribe rehabilitation as a critical recourse for students battling addiction. They explore alternative treatment options.“We often try to treat them through counselling, mental exercises, and if necessary, medicines like antidepressants. We reach out to their friends, roommates or relatives to monitor them closely and prevent them from meeting individuals who may offer them intoxicating substances,” said a counsellor in Toronto. SB Krishnan, a college provost in Laval, Quebec, explained that the consequences for drug abuse are not uniform and can vary depending on the circumstances.“We only address drug-related issues when students are caught using substances like cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, MDMA, etc., on campus,” he said. “The university may choose to report the students to police or suspend them, considering factors such as the type of drugs used, frequency of consumption and the level of involvement.”If law enforcement catches students off the campus, police may notify Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. “They will then assess the situation and decide whether to issue a warning or initiate deportation proceedings, based on the severity of the case,” Krishnan said.Many students, unable to afford professional counselling, are turning to college-provided services or seeking free counselling options on social media, albeit with limited success.“I don’t have the funds for it. So, I’m relying on therapy provided by my college counsellor,” said Mahima Chaudhary.Like they say in Canada that the road to recovery is the longest, her story and those of the others underscore the pervasive anxiety confronting Indian students.Illustrations: Sajeev Kumarapuram/AI