PM Narendra Modi: Youth who overcome addiction are real warriors

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PM Narendra Modi during the launch of ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan’ in New Delhi on Sunday. (ANI)Launching the ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan’ on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi focused not only on keeping the youth away from drugs but also giving second chances to those who have been addicted. He said that facilities such as rehabilitation centres can help them.“Drugs give a temporary high, but they cause a long-term low in your career and family life. We must not give any form of acceptance to addiction,” the PM said, urging parents to have open communication with their children to detect early signs of addiction. If a child gets addicted to substances, he said, parents should not hide it under the guise of social prestige.“Seek necessary support, communicate openly with the child and enlist the help of experts. Make an effort to help your child overcome addiction through medical assistance,” he said. “The youth who come out fighting addiction are not weak, they are real warriors whose incredible courage is their true identity,” he added. “Society should respect them, embrace them and give them a second chance,” he said.Read | I forgive children who abused me, let’s show them the way: PM ModiPM Modi said enemy countries use the supply of drugs as part of their terror plans because they know that “youth are the future of our country”. Earning money by supplying drugs and destroying the country is a part of their terror conspiracy, he said, addressing over 1 crore people who had joined virtually from over 28,000 locations.He asked youths to take a pledge against substance abuse, urging them to also disseminating the message of a drug-free life across schools, colleges and communities. “Today, as the nation has set the goal of a Viksit Bharat, it is imperative the country’s youth remain physically and mentally fit, brimming with self-confidence, and permanently steer clear of destructive habits like drugs,” he said.The PM also said that addiction not only harms the body, but “family members live with this pain every day, watching their children gradually lose themselves before their eyes”.Modi also said the government stands firmly with the youth in this campaign against drugs. “Arrests have gone up several times as compared to before, and drugs worth thousands of crores of rupees have been seized.”Story continues below this adOutlining the campaign’s 100-week roadmap, he detailed how the coming Sundays will feature dedicated activities spa­nn­ing art, culture, sports, and meditation. “The coming 100 Sundays will absolutely become 100 strong steps in the direction of a completely drug-free India.”