Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], October 23 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday called for collective efforts to combat drug abuse, stressing the need to involve every young person, student and child in the campaign to build a healthy and drug-free state.
Addressing the 'Drug-Free Uttarakhand' Walkathon at ONGC's Dr B R Ambedkar Ground in Dehradun, Dhami said the initiative aimed to spread awareness about the dangers of drug abuse and take the message to every household.
The Chief Minister said, "Through this walkathon, we are strengthening our resolve to build a healthy and drug-free Uttarakhand. We must take this message to every household and involve every young person, student and child in this campaign, spreading the message of 'Say no to drugs, and yes to life."
Describing the walkathon as more than a regular event, Dhami commended the efforts of those working to turn the issue of drug abuse, particularly its impact on the younger generation, into a wider social movement.
“This event that is happening, in which you all are going to run, is not just a regular event. Instead, it is a public awareness campaign and a social movement. And for this wonderful initiative, for this vision, many people work hard. You all have made a very commendable effort in the direction of turning this important topic related to society and the future of the youth into a mass movement. Friends, the steps we are taking together in this walkathon today are strengthening our resolve to build a healthy and drug-free Uttarakhand, and we need to take this message to every home,” he said.
Dhami further stressed that efforts to prevent drug abuse should extend beyond individual participation, with every young person, student and child brought into the campaign.  
“We shouldn't limit it to ourselves alone, and we need to connect every young person, every student, and every budding child of ours to this campaign. We have to deliver the message of saying no to drugs and yes to life to the youth. The hands of the youth should have held a book; a computer should have been with them,” he asserted.
Warning about the consequences of drug abuse, the Chief Minister said addiction could destroy the aspirations of young people, disappoint their families and weaken society and the country.  
He stated, “The youth should have been on the sports field and whichever work a youth is destined for, whatever work is meant for them, they should have worked hard for that work. And when drugs fall into their hands, not only do their own dreams shatter, but their family's hopes also break. Not only that, but our society and our country both become weak because of such youth, because the youth are the future of our country, our society, and the coming generations." 
Dhami also highlighted the importance of education, skills, values, and physical health in building a strong younger generation, saying the country's progress depended on the well-being of its youth. 
“A country can only be strong when its younger generation is strong in every way. They should have good skills and strong values. They should have a good education, a strong body, and be healthy. Only then will our country be healthy, our society will be healthy, and we will all find a new direction of progress. Friends, the fight against drugs cannot be won by the government or the police alone. It is our collective responsibility,” he said.