There was a time when those who smoked were singled out in school and colleges. That was perhaps 30 years ago or longer. But, times had changed and films had to a great extent influenced the younger generation in picking up the smoking habit, said actor and MLA Mukesh. It had been a bad influence and the film industry felt guilty about it, he added.
However, dedicated campaigns had brought down instances of cigarette smoking, he said, and added that such a campaign was required against drug abuse too. Mr. Mukesh was speaking at Vimukthi Mission’s intensified campaign titled ‘Naalathe Keralam Laharimuktha Navakeralam’ (Tomorrow’s Kerala, Drug-free New Kerala).
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched the campaign through a video message in a programme organised here on Sunday, in which Minister for Excise and Labour T.P. Ramakrishnan presided.
There is no space for intoxication in our lives, said Mr. Ramakrishnan. The Excise and Police departments would work together on the project, and with children and families. NGOs working in the sector, trade unions and other agencies too would be part of the programme, he added.
Dedicated to nation
Mr. Ramakrishnan dedicated the programme to the nation and handed it over to Education Minister C. Ravindranath.
Mr. Ravindranath said he would bring together local self-government institutions to get the project under way. He said the campaign would ensure that students, who were the main targets of the drug mafia, had a scientific understanding of the problem.
Mayor Soumini Jain, who led the pledge against intoxication, said it was disturbing to know that 45% of children were in some way affected by the malady. Hibi Eden, MP, MLAs T.J. Vinod and P.T. Thomas, district panchayat president Dolly Kuriakose and writer Subhash Chandran were present.
