Buoyed by the initial success of its anti-drug initiative, the Punjab Education Department has scaled up its prevention programme to cover more than 7.5 lakh students across 3,600 senior secondary schools in the state.Building on the curriculum introduced for Class IX to XII, the department has rolled out an upgraded and adaptive module featuring real-life video stories, interactive worksheets and activity-based learning to combat substance abuse among students.Developed in partnership with affiliates of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), the 14-week curriculum moves away from traditional awareness lectures. Instead, it relies on real-life recovery narratives, expert insight and classroom discussions.According to officials, the structured intervention has yielded a sharp rise in awareness levels over the past year. The proportion of students who understand that trying “chitta” even once carries a grave risk of addiction rose from 60 per cent to over 90 per cent. And students recognising that willpower alone is insufficient to overcome addiction jumped from 46 per cent to nearly 80 per cent.Parental engagementWorkshops are being conducted to help guardians spot early signs of substance abuse, such as red eyes, syringe marks and excessive fatigue among their wardsAmandeep Kaur, a chemistry teacher at School of Eminence in Chherata, Amritsar, pointed out that the interactive format has generated strong curiosity among students, who look forward to the weekly sessions.Similarly, Anil Joshi, principal of Government Senior Secondary School in Khanpur, Ropar, said skits and creative activities had transformed students into “torchbearers” of the movement.The resource material includes eight documentary films on addiction and recovery, along with two expert videos explaining the neurological aspects of substance dependence to students and parents. Classrooms also focus on practical peer-pressure refusal techniques, training students to say “no” politely, walk away, change the topic or use humour.Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “The curriculum includes eight documentary films featuring individuals who have experienced experimentation, addiction and recovery, along with two expert videos explaining the science of addiction, one each for students and parents. Supporting material comprises quizzes, discussion guides, posters, worksheets and interactive sessions. Students are also taught practical refusal strategies to handle peer pressure, such as saying ‘no’ politely, giving a reason, walking away, changing the topic, using humour or planning responses in advance.”