Anti-drug club launched to prevent substance abuse by schoolchildren in Tiruchi

An Anti-Drug Club promoted by the departments of Food Safety and Drug Administration and the School Education was launched in Tiruchi on Saturday

An Anti-Drug Club promoted by the departments of Food Safety and Drug Administration and the School Education was launched in Tiruchi on Saturday.

Under the initiative, select children from schools will be designated “anti-drug champions” to maintain vigil and sensitise their schoolmates against drug abuse.

Collector M. Pradeep Kumar inaugurated the club as part of an awareness programme and distributed “anti-drug champion” badges to 434 students and administered a pledge against drug abuse. An orientation programme was conducted for students.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Kumar said there were over 30,000 petty shops in the district and about eight teams of officials were conducting checks every day to check illegal sale of banned substances, especially at shops situated near schools.

“The shops operating near schools will have a sticker stating that they don’t sell banned products, and the stickers will have a WhatsApp and toll-free number which will be directly monitored by me. Each complaint registered through these numbers would be investigated with utmost care and action will be taken to morally discipline students,” Mr. Kumar said.

He said the identity of the ambassadors who give information about sale of banned substances in shops or fellow students using such substances would be protected. The anti-drug club ambassadors would conduct an awareness campaign at their school and motivate students to desist from drug abuse.

N. Kamini, Commissioner of Police, Tiruchi City; G. Krishnapriya, Chief Education Officer; and R. Ramesh Babu, Designated Officer, Food Safety and Drug Administration; took part in the event.