Chandigarh, Aug 2: The Punjab government’s decision to introduce an anti-drug curriculum in schools is not just commendable — it is long overdue. In a state grappling with a devastating drug crisis, early awareness and education may be the most potent tools we have to turn the tide. This move signals a shift from reactive policing to proactive prevention, and its potential to change hearts and minds cannot be overstated.
For years, Punjab’s youth have been caught in the grip of addiction — a tragedy that has claimed countless lives, wrecked families, and hollowed out entire communities. Despite the efforts of law enforcement and de-addiction centers, the roots of the problem have spread too deep for quick fixes. In this context, education stands as the strongest line of defence — not merely in deterring drug use but in shaping values, building resilience, and empowering young people to say no before it’s too late.
By starting this conversation in classrooms, the government is rightfully recognising that schools are not just places of academic instruction but social foundations. What children learn in these formative years stays with them for life. Teaching them about the physical, emotional, and societal consequences of substance abuse — through structured lessons, open dialogue, and storytelling — can sow seeds of resistance long before exposure or temptation takes root.
Moreover, integrating anti-drug awareness into the school curriculum also helps chip away at the stigma that often surrounds addiction. It opens up space for empathy and understanding. It prepares students to help peers, to ask for help themselves, and to engage critically with the realities around them.
This initiative must now be matched with well-trained educators, engaging material, and consistent reinforcement through activities, counselling support, and community involvement. The voices of former addicts, doctors, police officers, and family members can lend authenticity and urgency to the message. And the message must be clear: choosing to stay away from drugs is not weakness or naivety — it is courage, it is strength.
If we are serious about reclaiming a generation from the jaws of addiction, then this is exactly where the battle must begin — not in the streets, not just in the rehab centres, but in the schools. The Punjab government deserves credit for recognising this. The hope now is that the curriculum is not just introduced but fully implemented, monitored, and adapted to stay effective.
This is how change begins: one lesson at a time, one child at a time.
