Punjab government launches anti-drug curriculum for students to tackle menace

The curriculum, developed by Nobel Laureate Prof Abhijit Banerjee’s team, will be introduced in all the government schools starting August 1.

The programme includes 35-minute sessions every 15 days for 27 weeks, featuring documentaries, quizzes, posters, and interactive activities. The classes aim to teach students how to say no to drugs, resist peer pressure, think critically, and make informed decisions.

Over 6,500 teachers have received special training to implement the curriculum effectively in 3,658 government schools.

The project was initially piloted in 78 schools in Amritsar and Tarn Taran, which, according to the government, yielded impressive results.

Out of 9,600 students, 90 per cent acknowledged that even a single instance of using heroin-like drugs could lead to addiction. The misconception that willpower alone is enough to quit drugs dropped from 50 per cent to just 20 per cent after the course.

The Punjab government stated that it is addressing the drug menace through a dual strategy, a crackdown on supply and awareness and education to strike the demand.

“Since March 2025, under the ‘War Against Drugs’ campaign, over 23,000 drug traffickers have been jailed, more than 1,000 kg of heroin seized, and property worth crores confiscated,” said the state government.