Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan’ on Aug. 2 [1].
The nationwide drive aims to curb substance abuse among young people to ensure a healthier future for India's workforce and society.
Speaking from the Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh, Modi addressed youth via video-conferencing to initiate the campaign [1]. The initiative is designed to mobilize more than 10 million young people to pledge to stay away from drugs, and provide support for those currently recovering from addiction [2].
The campaign will run for 100 weeks [2]. According to government targets, over 10 million youth are expected to take a formal anti-drug pledge as part of the mobilization effort [2].
Modi linked the issue of substance abuse to national security during his address. "Drugs are part of enemy nations' terror plan to hurt India," Modi said [3].
Reports on the scale of the launch vary regarding the number of participating sites. Some reports indicate the campaign is being conducted across nearly 10,000 locations [4], while other summaries suggest the reach extends to more than 28,000 locations [5].
The program emphasizes a holistic approach to the drug crisis, focusing on both prevention through pledges and the rehabilitation of those struggling with dependency [2].
“"Drugs are part of enemy nations' terror plan to hurt India."”
By framing drug addiction as a tool of 'enemy nations,' the Indian government is shifting the narrative of substance abuse from a purely public health crisis to a matter of national security. The massive scale of the 100-week campaign suggests an attempt to create a social movement that leverages peer pressure and nationalistic pride to deter youth from narcotics.
