Chief Minister Vijay administers State-level mass pledge for a ‘Drug Free Tamil Nadu’

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay administrating a State-level mass pledge for a ‘Drug-Free Tamil Nadu’ at an event organised by the Home, Prohibition and Excise Department in Chennai on August 11, 2026 | Photo Credit: R. Ragu Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Tuesday (August 11, 2026) administered a State-level mass pledge for a ‘Drug-Free Tamil Nadu’ by participating at an event organised at Presidency College in Chennai in which 2,000 students from 73 educational institutions took part.The campaign was organised by the Home, Prohibition and Excise Department. Mr. Vijay also launched the ‘Drug and Tobacco-Free Campus’ initiative. Under this initiative, all new students will receive an orientation covering drug abuse risks, NDPS Act penalties, institutional disciplinary actions, and counselling options.Institutions will organize anti-drug awareness activities such as annual pledges, street plays, competitions, rallies, and visits to de-addiction centres following the Anti-Drug Club manual. Anti-Drug Clubs will be strengthened through training of their members and by nominating Peer Ambassadors to identify early behavioural changes and provide peer-level support.Police Nodal Officers will coordinate with institutions to address trafficking complaints promptly. Students will also be encouraged to report drug abuse via the Drug-Free TN Mobile App, according to a release. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay during the event at Presidency College in Chennai on August 11, 2026 | Photo Credit: R. Ragu The Chief Minister also witnessed through videoconferencing the destruction of one lakh kg of seized narcotic substances and banned tobacco products at Chengalpattu, Thanjavur, Coimbatore, and Tirunelveli.Mr. Vijay also presented the ‘Chief Minister’s Police Medal - 2026’ to 15 police officers and personnel in acknowledgment of their outstanding contributions in the fight against drug production and illegal trafficking in the State.He also presented awards to the three best anti-drug clubs and three best volunteer groups functioning in schools and colleges that had performed well in creating awareness and reducing the use of narcotic drugs.Chief Secretary M. Sai Kumar; Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Prohibition and Excise, K. Manivasan; Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education, Dheeraj Kumar; Additional Chief Secretary, School Education, P. Chandramohan; DGP/HoPF Magesh Kumar Aggarwal were among others present. Published - August 11, 2026 08:04 pm IST