From getting scary masks, making posters to colour co-ordinating their clothes, the students of Surana College, along with Terapanth Yuvak Parishad, were all set for their ‘Anti Addiction Awareness Drive’.
The participants of the drive, accompanied by their teachers, walked from Madhavan Park to their South-End Circle campus screaming out slogans like ‘Be Smart, Don’t Start’.
With the rise in the number of cases of drug abuse and addiction among youngsters, the students felt a strong need for such a drive to raise awareness amongst others. Said Dimple, a student who took part in the drive, “Of late, many youngsters are succumbing to drug abuse due to peer pressure. Hopefully, with more such drives, one can realise that drugs and alcohol are not the only means to be ‘popular’.”
Many of the students had even made posters which they had carried with them during the drive. Some of them had innovative messages written on them. Some that caught the eye were, ‘Kick the butt or kick the bucket’ and ‘Be a thinker not a drinker’. Anoop, a student, said, “We wanted to spread the message to as many people as possible which is why apart from the drive, we also organised a theatre competition ensuring that the message has been passed on in every way possible.”
The competition saw many groups showcasing the different ill-effects of drugs and alcohol. The chief guest for the day was B G Jyothiprakash Mirji, the police commissioner, who shared his thoughts on the events.
He said, “In a city like Bangalore, it is difficult to stay away from these things but it is possible if you keep focus and make a strong decision to stay away from drugs. All bad things always look attractive but I suggest that as youngsters, you shouldn’t fall prey to such thing.”
Adding to this was the guest of honour, Shazia Khan, a former Masterchef finalist. Shazia pointed out that of late, things like the internet and Facebook are becoming equally dangerous forms of addictions amongst youngsters. “My only advice would be that we’ve been given such a beautiful life, so don’t waste it by getting high on such things. Instead get high on life and live it to the fullest,” she added.
This was then followed by doctors making presentations on the various measures to curb addiction.