THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged students and youngsters to say a firm ‘no’ and take a strong pledge against the use of drugs and other narcotic substances. He was speaking after inaugurating the state-level programme of the United Nation’s International Day Against Drug Abuse here on Tuesday. He said the motto of this year’s anti-drug message is ‘Listen First’.
“Parents should listen to what the children have to say. If they listen, preventive measures can be taken on their issues. If we can’t listen, they will choose the wrong path,” he said.Pinarayi said the active participation of children and youth in the programme shows they are totally against the use of drugs. He lamented the drug mafia is trying its best to enter society through several avenues.
He said, while the state is progressing by the day, certain shady forces are trying to sabotage that development. Terming the drug mafia as the most dangerous of all, the Chief Minister said, in some countries, the drug mafia is more powerful than governments. And in some cases, he said, the economy of the drug mafia is more than that of the country and the mafia, boasting their own armies, can even change rules.
He said the state programme against drug abuse - ‘Vimukthi’ - promoted by the Excise Department is taking a strong stand against the menace and is creating awareness across the state. Education Minister C Raveendranath presided over the function. K Muraleedharan MLA gave the anti-drug abuse pledge to the audience. Ports Minister Ramachandran Kadannapally, Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V K Prasanth and Additional Chief Secretary Tom Jose were among those present.