The present study was conducted to generate information on Socio-economic and demographic characteristics of alcohol and other substance abusers, undergoing treatment in Sikkim. Socio-economic and demographic instrument was administered to the participants who were undergoing treatment for alcohol and/or substance abuse (n=241) in various treatment centres of Sikkim. Information was collected personally on printed instrument and data was descriptively analyzed using SPSS.b Male participants (93.8%) outnumbered female (6.2%). Majority of the participants were either in the school dropout group or school completed (36.1%) group. Most of the samples were occupationally unemployed, urban residents, Nepali by ethnicity, single, and Hindu by religion (48.5%). Minimum age for starting of alcohol was 5 yrs and 7 yrs for drugs. Knowledge about AIDS and its transmission among patients undergoing treatment was satisfactory. Wide availability of alcohol and cold climate of Sikkim make this state susceptible for alcohol use and misuse and thus indirectly for other substance use. Alcohol drinking among parents, sibling and friends found to be important risk factor.
