Chandigarh (National Times): In a landmark step against drug abuse, Punjab has become the first state in India to introduce an evidence-based anti-drug curriculum for school students. The initiative, part of the third phase of the state’s “Yudh Nashian De Virudh” campaign, will be formally launched on August 1 in Arniwala, Fazilka, by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains announced that the programme will cover 8 lakh students from Classes 9 to 12 across 3,658 schools, with more than 6,500 specially trained teachers delivering the sessions.
Developed in collaboration with Nobel Laureate Prof. Abhijit Banerjee’s J-PAL South Asia and leading behavioural scientists, the curriculum aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills to resist drug use and make informed choices.
The 27-week programme includes 35-minute interactive sessions held every two weeks, using documentaries, quizzes, posters, and group activities to dispel myths, counter peer pressure, and teach practical decision-making strategies.
Randomised trials in 78 government schools in Amritsar and Tarn Taran, involving 9,600 students, demonstrated significant results. Understanding that even trying drugs like “chitta” once could lead to addiction increased from 69% to 90%, while the misconception that addiction can be overcome with willpower alone dropped from 50% to 20%.
“The fight against drugs must begin in classrooms, not just in police stations,” Bains said. He added that the government has arrested over 23,000 drug smugglers, seized more than 1,000 kg of heroin, and confiscated the properties of offenders.
With this initiative, Punjab has positioned itself as a pioneer in prevention-focused anti-drug education, aiming to safeguard the state’s youth through early intervention and behavioural change.
