Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged students to be aware of how vulnerable they are to liquor and drug abuse, so as to remain vigilant and have the courage to oppose such substances.
He was speaking after inaugurating Vatsalyam, an anti-drug and liquor awareness programme for students drawn up by the Care World Foundation, a charitable organisation, at St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School on Thursday.
Antisocial elements were luring even young children to drugs and liquor. The latest technology was being used to draw them to such habits, and turn them to a life of crime. Children were made carriers of drugs, and were used to sell them. Temptations, threats, and blackmail were used to pull them in. It even led to sexual exploitation. Children should be aware that such ills existed in society, Mr. Vijayan said.
ADVERTISEMENT
He called for a mechanism to keep tabs on young children and to ensure that they came to school, attended all their classes, and did not loiter around after school hours.
The law and the police alone could not ensure that students did not fall prey to liquor and drugs. It was the responsibility of each member of society to ensure that children stayed away from liquor, drugs and other such substances. No one should shirk it, the Chief Minister said. He also called for better communication between parents and children so that family ties remained strong and helped keep children away from such substances.