SC asks Centre to curb rising drugs, alcohol abuse in children

New Delhi, December 14 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to put in place within six months a national action plan to curb the rising drugs and alcohol abuse cases among schoolchildren, observing that they are encouraged to become “drug peddlers once they get addicted”.
A bench comprising Chief Justice TS Thakur and DY Chandrachud also asked the Centre to conduct a national survey on the substance and alcohol abuse and use of psychotropic substances among children in schools across the country.Issuing a slew of directions, the bench observed, “Children are encouraged to become drug peddlers once they are addicted (to drugs).” The bench also favoured a re-look on the curriculum to make schoolchildren aware about substance abuse and its ill-effects.
The directions were passed on a 2014 PIL filed by NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan of Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi.The NGO, in its plea, had sought a direction to formulate a national action plan for children on drugs and substance abuse, including all issues of identification, investigation, recovery, counselling and rehabilitation.