CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Tuesday administered the state-level mass pledge for a “Drug-Free Tamil Nadu” at an anti-drug awareness programme held at Presidency College in Chennai and launched a campaign for “drug- and tobacco-free campuses”.
The CM also honoured 15 police officers and personnel with the Chief Minister’s Police Medals for 2026 for their work against drug production and illicit trafficking.
The programme, organised by the Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, saw 2,000 students participate in person, while over 1 crore students from 14000 schools and 4900 colleges joined via video conference.
Vijay also witnessed, through video link, the destruction of seized narcotic drugs and banned tobacco products weighing over one lakh kg of ganja and banned tobacco products at four locations in Chengalpattu, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore and Thanjavur. He further presented awards to the three best anti-drug clubs and three best volunteer teams in schools and colleges for their efforts to curb substance abuse.
As part of the drug- and tobacco-free campuses initiative, educational institutions will strengthen anti-drug measures through trained anti-drug clubs, CCTV surveillance, annual health and psychological evaluations, and 100-metre “No Tobacco Zones” around campuses.
Police Nodal Officers will coordinate with institutions on trafficking complaints, while students will be encouraged to report drug abuse through the Drug Free-TN mobile app, with campuses urged to declare themselves “Drug Free Campuses”.
The government said it was pursuing a zero-tolerance approach through intensified enforcement under the NDPS Act, strengthening anti-drug units, freezing bank accounts linked to drug trafficking, monitoring educational campuses and stepping up awareness programmes.
According to the police, a total of 10,040 NDPS cases were registered and 14,400 persons were arrested up to August 10 this year. The police seized 17,500 kgs of dry ganja, 8.9 lakh tablets and 200 kgs of other narcotic drugs, including ganja chocolates, methamphetamine, amphetamine, and methaqualone. Similarly, a total of 13,150 cases were registered for selling banned tobacco products, and 1.61 lakh kgs. of tobacco products were seized. `8.3 crores have been collected as fines, and 2,744 commercial premises have been sealed.
For treatment and rehabilitation, the government has established a dedicated `70-crore Rehabilitation Fund. Free de-addiction treatment is available at 25 government hospital centres, while Kalangarai Centres provide psychosocial counselling and vocational training to those recovering from substance abuse.