The Punjab Lit Foundation (PLF) organised a two-day drug awareness and sensitisation campaign across five schools in Jalandhar Cantt from January 19-20.
Held under the Mothers Against Drugs initiative, the programme aimed to equip parents and students with tools to combat substance abuse.
The sessions were conducted at four PM Shri Kendriya Vidyalayas and the Army Public School (senior wing), reaching over 200 mothers and 300 students from Classes 10 to 12.
Led by author and former state information commissioner Khushwant Singh, the campaign emphasised the role of mothers as the first line of defence. He called for increased vigilance, saying, “A mother’s alertness and involvement can become the strongest shield a child has.”
He noted that the state can no longer afford to view addiction as a problem that exists only outside the family unit, adding that every informed parent represents a life potentially saved.
Psychologist and behavioural expert Gaurav Gill, who led the technical sessions, explained that addiction is often the result of emotional isolation, stress, and silence rather than a sudden choice. He provided practical guidance to mothers on identifying early warning signs and behavioural shifts, stressing that creating a household environment of open communication can interrupt the cycle of addiction before it reaches a crisis point.
PLF co-founder Sanna Kaushal said that the Mothers Against Drugs campaign has sensitised nearly 5,500 mothers across Punjab over the past year. The foundation intends to expand the initiative district-by-district, partnering with educational institutions and local administrators to sustain the movement against drug prevalence in the state.
