Kerala to Launch Fifth Phase of Anti-Drug Campaign on International Day Against Drug Abuse

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala is set to launch the fifth phase of its comprehensive anti-narcotics campaign across the state on June 26, coinciding with the International Day Against Drug Abuse. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced at a press conference that district-level inaugurations of the campaign, which will run until January 30, 2026, will be led by public representatives in their respective districts.

Campaign Activities

The new phase includes several key initiatives:

• ‘Art Diction – The Way of Inspiration’: This program will be organized at the college level. A simultaneous launch will take place across all campuses, with the cooperation of ministers, public representatives, film personalities, and NGOs.
• ‘My Family, Drug-Free Family’: This program will be initiated statewide under the auspices of Residents’ Associations. Taluk-wise prizes will be awarded to Residents’ Associations that demonstrate exemplary performance and succeed in making the maximum number of families drug-free within three months.
• Anti-Drug Rallies: Rallies will be organized at school and college levels, spearheaded by NSS, SPC, and anti-drug clubs.
• School Parliament: The Local Self-Government Department and the Education Department will jointly organize School Parliaments at the high school and higher secondary levels. The theme presented will be “Drug-Free Safe School is the Right of Children.”
• Pledge Ceremony: At 11 AM, office heads in all government offices across the state will administer a pledge for a drug-free society.

Enforcement and Awareness Efforts

The Chief Minister affirmed that Kerala is vigorously advancing its fight against drug abuse. He shared recent statistics from ‘Operation D-Hunt’, conducted between June 10 and June 16:

• 13,700 individuals were examined.
• 730 cases were registered, leading to the arrest of 769 individuals.
• 378.375 grams of MDMA and 24.833 kilograms of ganja were seized.
• During this period, 274 drug-related source reports were handed over to the respective District Police Chiefs across the state.

Detailed guidelines regarding vigilance activities at the school level and the functioning of Janajagratha Samithis (people’s vigilance committees) have been provided to educational institutions. The Chief Minister stressed that not only students and teachers, but also parents, must understand the ill effects of drugs. Training modules have been developed to include parents in these awareness programs. Recognizing the need for children to comprehend the adverse effects of drugs, these critical social issues have been incorporated into the curriculum during its revision, with special emphasis on adolescent education. Furthermore, SCERT has prepared dedicated books to promote healthy lifestyles among children.