Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Punjab Lit Foundation launches ‘Mothers Against Drugs’ initiative to combat rising drug abuse in Punjab
Empowering mothers to protect their children from the dangers of addiction
Babushahi Bureau
Hoshiarpur, September 15, 2024: In response to the escalating drug crisis across Punjab, the Punjab Lit Foundation has launched an ambitious new initiative, Mothers Against Drugs.
This campaign, spearheaded by author and former State Information Commissioner Khushwant Singh, along with Sanna Kaushal, Media Advisor to the National Commission for Women (NCW), is designed to mobilize and empower Punjab mothers to take an active role in safeguarding their children from falling into the trap of drug addiction.
The inaugural event was held in Bullowal Community Centre, Bullowal Hoshiarpur, where a huge number of mothers gathered to participate in training and motivation sessions aimed at educating them on how to recognize the early warning signs of substance abuse and intervene effectively.
Sanna Kaushal, director of the initiative, highlighted the program’s statewide goals:
“Our mission is to educate and empower mothers throughout Punjab to be proactive in this fight against drug addiction. We’ll be organizing more events like this one to ensure that every mother in Punjab has access to the knowledge and tools needed to protect her children. According to her mothers can actually work as the first line of defence in saving their children from Drug addiction.
Gaurav Gill , a Delhi based body language expert gave a presentation explaining to the mothers how to recognise various patterns that could suggest drug addiction.
Pankaj Mahajan from Gurdaspur spoke about his drug addiction and how he came out from it with the help of his family , especially mother. He said at one point he spent Rs 2 lacs to buy herion, popularly called Chitta .
The Mothers Against Drugs campaign plans to hold workshops across the state, offering mothers practical guidance on how to identify shifts in their children’s behavior, address concerns early on, and create a supportive home environment.
With drug addiction cases commonly emerging between the ages of 14 and 24, the foundation encourages vigilance, particularly among mothers of children aged 13 to 18.
Mothers against Drugs was supported by the district administration and police . The latter was represented by Major Singh, SP, PIB who provided information on how to report drug-related activities in communities through anonymous helplines, further strengthening the safety net around vulnerable youth.
He also shared the emergency numbers in case Mothers were suspicious of someone peddling drugs in their locality or village.
In addition, the Punjab Lit Foundation is reaching out to MLAs, Deputy Commissioners, and Senior Superintendents of Police across the state, urging them to adopt and promote this initiative within their districts.
“This is just the beginning,” said Khushwant Singh. “We want this campaign to grow into a mass movement that spreads across the state, making every mother in Punjab a soldier in the fight against drugs. We’ve funded the project ourselves so far, but we hope others will join us in this critical mission.