Policy changes must in education system to erase drug menace: HP minister

Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur Saturday directed officials of his department to make necessary changes in the education system for eradication of drug menace from the state.

Presiding over a review meeting of the education department here, he said ignorance about the consequences of drugs, curiosity, and psychological reasons often draw students into drug addiction.

"It has become imperative to ingrain in the mind of every child in Himachal Pradesh that we together can fight this evil and can contribute towards building a healthy society," the minister said.

He asked the National Council for Education, Research and Training (NCERT) and Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education (HPBOSE) to prepare an age-appropriate curriculum to educate children about the ill effects of drug abuse and integrate the same into the curriculum of schools and colleges.

Thakur also stressed the need for a state-wide mental health helpline through which virtual counselling of children .