PM unveils anti-drug campaign
Cautioning the youth about the harmful and dangerous use of drugs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said hostile countries use drug trafficking as part of their strategy because they know that young people are India’s future. He urged the young generation to take a pledge against substance abuse and help build a drug-free nation.
Making these assertions while launching the nationwide campaign Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan virtually, he also warned them that while drugs may provide a temporary high, they ultimately damage a person’s future. “Drugs can give you a high for some time, but it makes your entire career and personal life low,” he said. The nationwide campaign will run for 100 weeks, with weekly activities aimed at spreading awareness about the dangers of drug addiction.
PM Modi urged young people to stay away from addiction and become role models who encourage others to make healthy choices. He also stressed that a developed India needs young citizens who are physically and mentally healthy.
The prime minister also said that addiction not only harms the body, but also takes away a mother’s smile, shatters a father’s dreams, weakens a sister’s hope, and takes away the respect of a younger brother.
“Family members live with this pain every day, watching their children gradually lose themselves before their eyes,” he said.
Questioning the taboo around drug addicts, PM Modi said those who come out of drug addiction are fighters and should be honoured by society. “Society should respect them, embrace them and give them a second chance,” he said.
The PM launched the campaign virtually in the presence of a large number of youth, who described themselves as representatives of Gen-Z, days after large-scale protests by students demanding reforms in the public examination system rocked Delhi and other parts of the country.
The PM also said the Government stands firmly with the youth in this campaign against drugs. “Strict action is being taken against drug traffickers across the country. The arrests have gone up several times as compared to before, and drugs worth thousands of crores of rupees have been seized. This shows how strongly our Government is acting against drugs,” the PM said.
He also urged families not to hide their children’s addiction out of concern for social reputation, and instead communicate openly with them and seek expert and medical help to help them overcome substance abuse.
The launch marked the beginning of a 100-week nationwide Jan Bhagidari campaign, under which activities will be organised every Sunday across the country to promote awareness and encourage public participation in building a drug-free society.
The activities will include sports events, walkathons, meditation sessions, cultural programmes, awareness campaigns, nukkad nataks, discussion forums, art competitions and community engagement programmes.
