International Day against Drug Abuse: Govt to launch campaigns on June 26

World Drug Day 2025:The government will commemorate the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26. Govt will run nationwide campaigns to spread awareness

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) will observe the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26, 2025, with a central event at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi. Union Minister of State B.L. Verma will grace the occasion as the Chief Guest.

 

As the nodal ministry for drug demand reduction, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) has been leading national efforts to combat substance abuse through the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA). This flagship campaign aims to raise awareness, reduce drug dependency, and promote rehabilitation services across the country.

Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA): A nationwide movement

Launched to curb the menace of drug addiction, the NMBA is active in all districts of India and focuses on youth-centric outreach, especially in universities, colleges, schools, and communities. The goal is to make it a Jan Andolan—a people’s movement—with mass participation and community ownership.

 

 

As of June 2025, the NMBA has reached:

• 15.78 crore citizens sensitised, including 5.26 crore youth and 3.31 crore women.
• Over 4.31 lakh educational institutions are actively involved
• More than 20,000 trained Master Volunteers deployed at the grassroots level

International Day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking 2025: Theme

The theme for the International Day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking is "Break the cycle. #StopOrganizedCrime"

NMBA’s digital engagement

To enhance digital engagement, the campaign operates an official mobile app (available on the Google Play Store) and maintains robust social media channels. These tools allow real-time data updates from districts, contributing to a central NMBA dashboard. The official website nmba.dosje.gov.in provides resources such as:

• E-pledge forms
• Interactive forums
• Impact reports and real-time analytics

A key milestone is the National Online Pledge, with over 1.67 crore students from nearly one lakh institutions committing to a drug-free lifestyle.

Collaborations and community engagement

The Ministry has partnered with leading spiritual and social organisations, such as The Art of Living, ISKCON, Brahma Kumaris, Ram Chandra Mission (Daaji), Sant Nirankari Mission, and All World Gayatri Parivaar, to scale up awareness efforts through mass events and outreach.

 

Public access to treatment has also improved, with all government-supported de-addiction centres geo-tagged for easy discovery and accessibility.

Health impact and the ministry’s approach

Substance use is a pressing public health issue, contributing to neuropsychiatric disorders, heart conditions, and a rise in accidents, suicides, and violence. The Ministry emphasises a compassionate, integrated approach, viewing addiction as a psycho-social-medical problem that needs holistic intervention.

Awareness campaigns across India

To commemorate the International Day Against Drug Abuse, all states, Union Territories, NGOs, and voluntary organisations under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) have been directed to conduct awareness programmes from June 1 to June 26.