'Your Efforts Can Bring Big Results': PM Modi Calls On Professors To Lead Anti-Drug Campaign On Campuses

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called upon professors and educational institutions across the country to play a proactive role in the fight against substance abuse, urging them to go beyond academics and educate students about the dangers of drug addiction.

Addressing the launch of the 'Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan', a 100-week nationwide campaign against substance abuse, the Prime Minister appealed to teachers to transform colleges and universities into centres of awareness and prevention.

"I also want to make an appeal to our professors in colleges and universities. Along with teaching the course, please also discuss the dangers of drugs with your students. Launch a movement against addiction on your campus. Your efforts can bring big results," Modi said.

Highlighting the importance of supporting young people struggling with addiction, the Prime Minister stressed that substance abuse should not be viewed as the end of a person's future.

"If a young person has accidentally gotten trapped in addiction, it absolutely does not mean that all their paths are closed," he said.

Modi also urged families to avoid concealing cases of addiction due to social stigma and instead seek timely help. "If any child in the family has become a victim of addiction, do not hide it under the guise of social prestige. Take help from whoever is needed. Seek medical assistance to free your child from addiction," he said.

The Prime Minister further emphasised the need for open communication within families, saying parents should foster an environment where children feel comfortable sharing their concerns before falling into addiction.

"We should also foster a culture of open communication with children in the family so that you can hold their hand even before they get caught in such a whirlpool," he said.

Linking the issue to the country's long-term development goals, Modi said that achieving the vision of a developed India requires a healthy and confident young population.

"Today, when the country has set the goal of a developed India, it is essential that the country's youth be physically healthy, mentally healthy, brimming with self-confidence, and always far removed from deadly habits like drugs," he said, adding, "We must save every youth from falling into the trap of addiction."

The Prime Minister also highlighted the role of society and wellness practices in combating addiction.

"The support of society, the power of yoga and meditation strengthen our inner selves against addiction. Today, we also have facilities like rehabilitation centres to help people quit addiction," he said.

Urging citizens to actively participate in the campaign, Modi said, "I urge every citizen, especially our youth, to join this movement."

The 'Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan' marks the beginning of a 100-week nationwide public participation campaign against substance abuse. Weekly awareness activities will be organised every Sunday across the country, including sports events, walkathons, meditation sessions, cultural programmes, street plays, discussions, art competitions and community outreach initiatives.

The campaign aims to bring together educational institutions, youth organisations, civil society groups, industry bodies and spiritual organisations to build a collective movement towards a drug-free India, with participation from more than 10,000 locations nationwide.