Kathmandu, September 20:

A recent survey has revealed that schools and colleges have hardly taken any initiatives to prevent drug addiction among students.

D-Care Foundation (DCF), an organisation that was launched today with the objective of pursuing a drug prevention and intervention programme, publicised the survey report today. Yubaraj Lama, a movie actor and director, and president of the DCF, made the report pubic.

The report was prepared after carrying out a survey in 281 schools in the Valley. The report has shown that about 75 per cent of the surveyed schools have never taken any initiatives to prevent and intervene drugs abuse. The remaining 25 schools had launched a few programmes some years ago.

Despite this, 99 per cent of the school principals have shown willingness to conduct such programmes in their schools in the future. According to the recent government data, the numbers of drug addicts has reached 150,000 in the country. The number is increasing by 10 to 15 per cent annually. It has also revealed that schools and colleges are the breeding grounds for drug mafias.

Chandeshwar Acharya, chief, Drug Control Programme (DCP) of the Ministry of Home Affairs said that children from grade eight to eleven are exceedingly prone to drug addiction. “They could be easily swayed by peer pressure and stress. This demands adequate attention and guidance from families and teachers,” he added.

Stating that there were no programmes in schools and colleges to curb drug addiction, he expressed commitment to start school-centred programmes.

At the programme, Rajesh Hamal, actor and goodwill ambassador for anti-drugs campaign, and Gita Rana, president of the N-PABSON, released a book ‘Drug and Drug Addiction,’ written by Siddhartha Lama, general secretary of the Day-Care Foundation, and also a recovered drug-addict.

Siddhartha said that the DCF would work in schools and colleges, especially in red zones such as Kathmandu, Pokahara, Dharan, Biratnagar and satellite villages of Mahendra Highway from Mechi to Mahakali.