With a view to put an end to the substance abuse amongst students and youth, the Ministry of Education has launched a nationwide enforcement drive.

The MoE has asked all the states and Union Territories (UTs) to strictly enforce rules and guidelines that keep areas around educational institutions free of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.

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The drive implemented by Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, DoSEL, was following a meeting of the 8th Apex Committee of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) held recently.

This high-level meeting, chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, highlighted the urgent need to safeguard young minds from harmful substances and called for coordinated efforts between education and law enforcement departments.

Slated to be launched from 31 May 31, on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day, the drive will be operational until 26 June, coinciding with International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

As per the notification, the stated and UTs have been asked to enforce Section 6(b) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003 during the drive’s time duration. It sections cater to the ban on the sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutions and the the sale of tobacco to or by minors.

The states have also been asked to develop a clear Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that allows school and college staff to report violations directly and without fear to local police.

A statement from the Ministry stated that India has one of the youngest populations in the world, with a large number of its citizens below the age of 29. This youth population represents a powerful force for the country’s future and protecting them is crucial for the nation’s building.

Studies indicate that consumption of tobacco among the youth is rapidly increasing leading to experimenting with other forms of substance abuse within the school/college premises.

The Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-2), 2019, revealed that 8.5% of Indian students aged 13–15 were using tobacco in some form. Even more alarming is the fact that over 5,500 children in India start using tobacco every single day, the statement read.

To combat this growing threat, the Ministry of Education is actively implementing the Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) Guidelines.