Thiruvananthapuram, June 26 (IANS)

Kerala Minister for local bodies and excise and senior leader of the CPM, M.V.Govindan has said that most of the youths working in student and youth organisations of Kerala are either drunkards or using drugs and other narcotic substances regularly,’’

He said that most of the youths who spearhead anti-drugs and anti-liquor campaigns are themselves addicted to these.

The minister was speaking at a function here on Sunday after inaugurating the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

He said that a strong awareness campaign is required to prevent the youth of the state and added that several youths who are involved in anti-drug and anti-liquor campaigns are themselves addicted to these substances.

The Minister said that he did not expect the young people to participate in the campaign against alcohol and drugs. The minister in his speech said, “ The trend of alcoholism is declining in Kerala but the number of alcoholics in youth and student organizations is on the rise.”

He said that when awareness programmes were conducted by the excise department along with youth organisations but found that most of the youths who belong to these organisations were hooked to the tree.

The minister said that he was not expecting much active participation from youth against alcoholism and drug abuse. M.V.Govindan also said that the number of alcoholics in the state was declining but there was a trend in the increase in the number of youths belonging to student and youth organisations using alcohol and drugs.

M.V. Govindan also came out strongly against drugs in the state and drugs worth Rs 1500 crore was seized from them. He said that the people of the state to be more vigilant against the abuse of alcohol and drugs and that then only the menace can be brought to a halt.