Kerala floats de-addiction drive for youth

Minister proposes concerted campaign across educational institutions in state

Kerala’s excise and local self-government minister M V Govindan Master said the deaddiction campaign of the state excise department and Vimukthi Mission will be ramped up by forming Vimukthi Clubs in all educational institutions before Gandhi Jayanthi next year, said a press release by the state excise department yesterday.

Inaugurating a monthlong, state-wide addictionfree awareness campaign, the minister said such programmes will be organised in over 20,000 wards across the state with public participation.

Series of programmes

The minister said a sustained campaign needs to be carried out to create proper awareness against addiction. “Such a campaign should take the message down to the ward level by enlisting the support of all sections of the society to achieve the goals set out by it”, he said.

A series of programmes will be held across the state during this month highlighting the grievous consequences of addiction to drugs and intoxicants. The main aim of the Vimukthi Mission is to spread awareness among the youth regarding the ill effects of drug abuse, the release said.

Messages of Mahatma Gandhi, who waged a battle against drug addiction through constructive campaigns, would be propagated like a mission as part of the campaign, the release added.