Anti-drug awareness caravan reaches city

With placards in handand a passion in his heart to ignite youth against menace of drugs, a carvan led by Ludhiana-based NRI — settled in Canada — Balwinder Singh Kahlon reached the city on Wednesday. "Drug Awareness Walk across Punjab" started on February 11 from Dera Baba Nanak (Gurdaspur) and will end in Chandigarh on February 15.

Gurbhajan Gill, president of Punjabi Sahit Akademi (PSA) said the awareness carvan is an initiative of Kahlon, chairman of Drug Awareness Foundation Canada (DAFC), a non-profit organisation aiming to prevent and reduce alcohol and drug related problems in society and create awareness against drug through education and outreach programs. "The program is getting tremendous support from the community as various organisations and Sant Samaj are joining this awareness drive," he added.

The awareness caravan will visit Golden Temple and spread the message to save 'youth from the drugs and alcohol. On Wednesday morning, after reaching Ludhiana, Kahlon sensitised the students at Gujranwala Guru Nanak Insitute of management and technology by sharing that the 'death tolls due to excessive drugs intake in Punjab are far more than deaths caused due to any other reason.'

Kahlon informed the audience that drug addiction is a complex disorder characterized by compulsive drug use. He said, "while each drug produces different physical effects, all abused substances share one thing in common: repeated use can alter the way the brain looks and functions."

He advised the students to stay far away from alcohol, tobacco, cigarettes and other abused substances as these slow poisons gradually decay the mind and body.

Kahlon said the youth of today lack moral and social ethics as a result of which they have become highly materialistic. He exhorted parents to understand their responsibilities and spend time with their kids to resolve depression, violence and bullying with love and affection.

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