Drug awareness campaigns mark International Day Against Drug Abuse

Time of India

9 hours ago

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Madurai/Trichy: In observance of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, a series of awareness events were organised in Madurai and Trichy on Thursday, aiming to educate the public—especially students—about the dangers of substance abuse.
In Madurai, a human chain rally was flagged off by Madurai district collector K J Praveen Kumar from the Collectorate. The rally, under the theme "Drug-Free Tamil Nadu," involved around 300 college students raising awareness against drug abuse. At Madurai Medical College, the department of psychiatry organized competitions on topics related to drug abuse prevention, with events such as poetry, poster-making, slogan-writing, and short films.
Winners were awarded prizes at a ceremony presided over by the college dean, Dr L Arul Sundaresh Kumar.
In a similar event, Madurai city police commissioner J Loganathan launched a drug-free awareness rally organized by the anti-drug club of Mannar Thirumalai Naicker College. Approximately 1,000 students participated, pledging to stay away from drugs. The rally, which proceeded from the college to Pasumalai, featured students carrying placards and raising slogans to discourage drug use.
Similar programs were organized by other schools and colleges in the city.
In Trichy, over 250 participants took part in a rally organized by the department of psychiatry at KAP Viswanatham Government Medical College, in collaboration with Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital. The rally, which began at the Collector's Office and ended at the college auditorium, was followed by awareness lectures focused on this year's theme: "Breaking the Chains! Prevention, Treatment and Recovery for All.
" Trichy district collector V Saravanan administered an anti-drug pledge and flagged off the rally. Dr. S. Kumaravel, Dean of KAP Medical College, emphasized that addiction is a "whirlpool" that can pull people in without their knowledge, urging the public to resist not just narcotics, but also dependencies on tobacco, electronic devices, and internet overuse.
Meanwhile, students at Government High School, Kalkandar Fort, participated in an anti-drug program titled "Don't Enter Our Area," aimed at curbing the sale and use of drugs near educational institutions. The event featured speeches by Prabhu, Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority, and senior defense advocate Saraboji, who warned students about the dangers of evil influences. Students took an anti-drug pledge and wore badges with the message "Say No to Drugs.
" They also visited nearby shops to ensure compliance with regulations against drug sales near schools.
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