Children in schools are being educated to stay away from drugs through a scientific curriculum.

Chandigarh: Punjab, once struggling to save its young generation from the clutches of drugs, is now witnessing a new era of hope and change. The War on Drugs campaign, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is no longer confined to police stations, it has reached schools, villages, wards, and playgrounds.

From August 1, 2025, a scientific anti-drug curriculum has been introduced for 8 lakh students of classes 9 to 12 in 3,658 government schools across the state. A total of 6,500 teachers have been specially trained for this course, which has been designed by a team led by Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee. The 27-week program uses films, competitions, posters, and activities to reshape students’ attitudes towards drugs. Pilot project results from Amritsar and Tarn Taran showed that 90% of students recognized that even a single use of drugs is dangerous.

In parallel, defence committees are being established in every village and ward. These committees, comprising retired soldiers, teachers, and numberdars, are tasked with preventing drug activity in their respective areas.

To channel youth energy into positive pursuits, the government is also building sports infrastructure. A sports stadium is under construction in Mangewal village of Barnala with a grant of Rs 46 lakh, and it will also feature a library and other development projects. In Moga’s Darapur village, Punjab’s most modern government gym has been inaugurated at a cost of Rs 22 lakh, where young people can work out free of charge.

Under the War on Drugs campaign, more than 25,000 drug peddlers have been arrested. Authorities have seized 1,041.604 kg of heroin and confiscated drug traffickers’ properties worth several crores. Raids are conducted daily, and hundreds of individuals have been persuaded to give up drugs and join rehabilitation programs.

Thanks to these measures, village panchayats, ward residents, and ordinary citizens are now actively joining hands with the government to combat drug abuse. The campaign has evolved into a people’s movement. This three-pronged strategy, education, prevention, and treatment, is steering Punjab towards becoming a drug-free state. Under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the vision of a drug-free Punjab is moving from promise to reality.