Vice President Radhakrishnan urges collective action to build drug-free India

Bengaluru: Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Sunday called for a united fight against substance abuse, urging educational institutions, families, healthcare professionals and law enforcement agencies to work together to build a drug-free India.

He asserted that the campaign must begin with individuals and spread across campuses, cities and the country.

Addressing the 31st Foundation Day celebrations of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and the Nasha Mukta Bharat Conclave in Bengaluru, Radhakrishnan said substance abuse threatened not only individual health but also education, productivity, family well-being and national development.


Also read: Karnataka CM Shivakumar warns of ban on pan masala, gutka containing narcotic substances

He emphasised the role of young people in leading the movement.

"The vision of Nasha Mukta Bharat is not merely the absence of drugs. It is the presence of healthy choices, informed decisions, supportive families, and resilient communities," he said.

The vice president said the university had played a transformative role in strengthening health education and producing healthcare professionals.

He expressed confidence that its students would spearhead efforts to tackle substance abuse through treatment, public awareness, policy advocacy and evidence-based solutions.

Observing that parents often hesitate to acknowledge drug addiction within their families due to social stigma, he said willpower was key to eradicating the menace and urged students to ensure that the anti-drug pledge they had taken spread among their peers and communities.

He said awareness should begin with individuals, extend to classrooms, campuses, cities and districts, and ultimately lead to a drug-free Karnataka and a drug-free India.

Calling for innovative approaches integrating technology, counselling, peer support and public health outreach, Radhakrishnan said research must guide policy.

He stressed that schools, colleges, families, community organisations, healthcare institutions, law enforcement agencies and civil society should work together to combat substance abuse.

Referring to anti-drug initiatives in central universities under his chancellorship, he said Delhi University had become a drug-free campus and urged chancellors and vice-chancellors to encourage students to pledge to remain drug-free and help prevent addiction among their friends, families and communities.

In his address, Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the state government was committed to building a drug-free Karnataka.

He warned that strict action would be taken against those involved in the drug trade, as well as manufacturers found mixing intoxicating substances in products such as pan masala and gutka.

Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot said a drug-free India was a national necessity and urged the youth to stay away from addiction and actively participate in creating a healthy, informed and morally strong society.