Madurai District Collector Nishant Krishna spearheaded a mass pledge-taking event for a “Drug-Free Tamil Nadu” here on Wednesday.In a major State-level mobilisation against substance abuse, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Tuesday presided over a mass pledge-taking event for a “Drug-Free Tamil Nadu” at Presidency College in Chennai.Organised by the Home and Prohibition and Excise Departments, the event served as the launchpad for a comprehensive Statewide campaign to eradicate drug and tobacco use among youth.During the ceremony, the Chief Minister officially initiated the “Drug and Tobacco-Free Campus” campaign across schools and colleges Statewide. Via video conference, he reviewed the public destruction of seized narcotics and banned tobacco items, and honored police personnel with the 2026 Chief Minister’s Police Medal for Special Service in Eradicating Drug Production and Illicit Trafficking.He also recognised top-performing anti-drug clubs and volunteer groups from educational institutions for their grassroots awareness efforts.Simultaneous local events unfolded across the State. Mr. Nishanth Krishna, along with City Police Commissioner S. Rajendran, Superintendent of Police N. Devanathan, and local civic leaders joined over 500 students, self-help group members and volunteers at The American College to take the anti-drug pledge.Women’s self-help groups marked the occasion by creating awareness through traditional rangolis, while local educational institutions received shields and certificates of appreciation for exemplary anti-drug clubs and NCC/NSS volunteer activities.Authorities noted that inter-State drug trafficking routes and user growth pose severe social challenges, with ganja smuggled via national highways, long-distance trains, and coastal villages from states like Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.Further, synthetic drugs such as Amphetamine and prescription painkiller misuse are rising among urban youth and hostel students, prompting traffickers to employ clandestine methods like candy-style packaging and encrypted messaging apps, said a statement from the district administration.To counter these threats, rigorous enforcement under the NDPS Act, 1985 has yielded significant results.Between May and July 2026, law-enforcement registered 3,116 NDPS cases, arrested 4,138 offenders, detained 222 individuals under the Goondas Act, and seized 4,201 kilograms of drugs along with 1.12 lakh tablets.Financial investigations into illicit networks also led to the freezing of 158 bank accounts during the same period.The government has structurally reinforced its enforcement apparatus by establishing 65 specialised Anti-Narcotics Task Force units—comprising 37 district units and 28 commissionerate units.Backed by a financial sanction of ₹264.14 crore under a recent government order, these units are staffed by 2,079 newly approved personnel, ranging from senior leadership to specialised investigators.Similar crackdowns on banned tobacco products resulted in 5,528 cases and the seizure of 77,438 kilogram of contraband, alongside targeted sweeps within 100-meter radiuses of educational institutions.Complementing police action, approximately 17,000 anti-drug clubs operate across Tamil Nadu schools and colleges, supported by a dedicated ₹ 7 crore budgetary allocation for student-level activities.The public can report tips confidentially through the “Drug-Free Tamil Nadu” mobile application or the dedicated ‘10581’ helpline.These initiatives build upon previous large-scale public drives, including the “Start Run, Stop Drugs” marathon held at Marina Beach on International Day Against Drug Abuse, and the integration of NCC and NSS units under the Youth Development Programme.For individuals already impacted by substance abuse, the State is expanding healthcare and social support infrastructure, the statement added.A newly announced ₹70 crore “Rehabilitation Fund” underwrites free treatment, psychological counseling, and vocational training provided across 28 specialised de-addiction centres, ensuring a holistic approach to stamping out drug dependency across Tamil Nadu.