Shimla: Expressing concern about the safety of future generations, Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Sunday said “by implementing sports culture as a mitigation strategy, we can reduce the likelihood of drug abuse among young people”. The governor said drug addiction is “destroying the talent of the youth and isolating them from the mainstream of society”.
“Drug addiction destroys the abilities of a person, breaks families and weakens society. Every day children are losing their lives due to drug abuse,” said Shukla while presiding over a symposium on ‘Drug Menace and Sports Culture as a Mitigation Strategy’ organized by Shyamla Education and Social Welfare Trust here.
“By implementing sports culture as a mitigation strategy, we can reduce the likelihood of drug abuse among young people, promote healthy lifestyle and behaviour, foster social connections and community engagement, provide positive role models and mentors, support mental health and well-being,” he added.
The governor said drugs not only affect the person but also have a negative impact on his family, society and future generations.
“When a person falls prey to drugs, its effect is not limited to him only, but the entire family is affected mentally, economically and socially. Crime rate increases, health services are burdened and the productivity of society decreases,” he said.
Shukla said the fight is not just the responsibility of one person, but a shared responsibility of all.
The governor said the parents, teachers, police administration, health department and every citizen have to be a part of this campaign, adding there is a need for collective resolve and strong will to eradicate this problem from its roots.
He said that an intensive coordination of various departments is necessary to deal with this serious problem.
Community participation in this campaign against drugs can be ensured by reaching out to the schools, colleges and university campuses with special focus on the youth, he added.
The governor further said “there should be no place for evils like drug addiction” in an educated and developed place like Himachal Pradesh, where “the youth power has always been moving towards innovation, sports and nation building”.
Shukla said that a public awareness movement launched in Arki and Nalagarh of Solan and Hamirpur districts against drug abuse and to promote sports among the youth was a great success.
