The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE),Government of India, will observe the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking with a major national event on 26th June 2025 at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi. Shri B. L. Verma, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, will attend as Chief Guest, alongside senior officials and key stakeholders from across the country.

This significant observance is part of India’s broader commitment to tackling substance abuse and promoting a drug-free society. As the nodal ministry for drug demand reduction, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) oversees comprehensive efforts including prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and public education.

Central to these efforts is the Ministry’s flagship initiative — Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA). Launched with the vision of creating a drug-free India, NMBA is active across all districts of the country. It focuses on spreading awareness about the harmful effects of substance abuse, particularly among youth, through targeted outreach in schools, colleges, universities, and local communities.

NMBA follows a multi-pronged strategy that includes grassroots mobilization, volunteer training, institutional collaboration, and the use of digital tools to maximize engagement and monitoring.

The campaign has made remarkable progress since its inception:

• 15.78+ crore individuals have been sensitized about substance use issues.
• 5.26+ crore youth and 3.31+ crore women have been directly engaged.
• Over 4.31 lakh educational institutions have participated, spreading the message across classrooms and campuses.
• A dedicated force of 20,000+ Master Volunteers has been trained to drive activities at the ground level.
• A strong digital presence has been built through official social media handles, amplifying the message nationwide.

To ensure efficiency and transparency, NMBA introduced a mobile application, now available on the Google Play Store, to document and track activities across all districts in real-time. The NMBA website http://nmba.dosje.gov.in serves as a one-stop hub for campaign resources, e-pledge submissions, a public forum, and more.

One of the campaign’s most popular features, the National Online Pledge to Be Drug-Free, has drawn participation from 1.67+ crore students across nearly one lakh institutions, highlighting the widespread support among the younger generation.

To broaden its impact, MoSJE has forged Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with several spiritual and social organizations like The Art of Living, Brahma Kumaris, ISKCON, and others. These organizations contribute by hosting mass awareness events, further integrating the message into daily life and cultural practices.

Special nationwide events like:

• ‘Nashe se Azaadi – A National Youth and Students Interaction Programme’
• ‘Naya Bharat, Nasha Mukt Bharat’
• ‘NMBA Interaction with NCC’

have been instrumental in directly connecting with India’s youth and fostering dialogue on healthy lifestyles.

In a strategic move, all de-addiction facilities across the country have been geo-tagged, making it easier for those in need to locate and access support services.

Substance use disorder remains a serious psycho-social-medical problem in India. Its effects ripple beyond the individual, harming families, disrupting communities, and straining public health systems. Some drugs have been linked to neurological and psychiatric conditions, cardiovascular diseases, and even accidents, suicides, and violent behavior.

Recognizing these risks, MoSJE emphasizes the importance of viewing substance abuse through a holistic lens, combining awareness, treatment, and rehabilitation under a unified national mission.

In the lead-up to the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the Department has called upon all States, Union Territories, as well as NGOs and VOs under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR), to organize awareness campaigns from 1st to 26th June 2025. The goal is to build a Jan Andolan — a nationwide people’s movement against substance abuse.

This month-long initiative will culminate in the central event in Delhi, serving as a beacon of India’s resolve to empower its citizens, particularly its youth, to say no to drugs and yes to life.