State Police Chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar said the programme marks a decisive shift in Kerala’s anti-drug strategy, as enforcement is now being complemented with structured prevention within workplaces.
Published Dec 23, 2025 | 6:56 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 23, 2025 | 6:56 PM
Drug abuse. Representational Image. (Creative Commons)
Synopsis: The move comes against the backdrop of alarming figures emerging from the police’s intensified enforcement efforts this year. As part of the D-Hunt special drive against drug abuse, the Kerala Police registered 30,991 cases across the state. Of these, 349 cases involved the seizure of commercial quantities of narcotics, 957 cases were related to intermediate quantities, and 7,718 cases pertained to small quantities.
Kerala is taking a significant step forward in its fight against drug abuse by formally involving the private sector, with the State Police launching a collaborative initiative titled Prevention of Drug Abuse (PODA).
State Police Chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar said the programme marks a decisive shift in Kerala’s anti-drug strategy, as enforcement is now being complemented with structured prevention within workplaces.
He noted that the participation of the private sector could turn PODA into a model of corporate-led drug prevention with long-term social impact.
The move comes against the backdrop of alarming figures emerging from the police’s intensified enforcement efforts this year. As part of the D-Hunt special drive against drug abuse, the Kerala Police registered 30,991 cases across the state. Of these, 349 cases involved the seizure of commercial quantities of narcotics, 957 cases were related to intermediate quantities, and 7,718 cases pertained to small quantities.
Parallel to enforcement, a survey conducted by the police has thrown up crucial insights into drug use patterns in Kerala.
The findings reveal that youth in the 25–35 age group who are financially stable are the most vulnerable to drug use.
According to the survey, drug dealing and consumption largely take place within small, close-knit circles of friends, making it extremely difficult for outsiders — including law enforcement — to detect or intervene at an early stage.
The survey also identified that a majority of drug users in this age group are employed in the private sector.
Police officials pointed out that while the average age of entry into government service through the PSC is around 33 years, the private sector absorbs employees much earlier. As a result, 98 percent of youth below the age of 30 are employed in the private sector, often with comparatively higher disposable incomes at a young age.
“This early financial stability, combined with limited supervision and peer-driven social circles, has emerged as a key risk factor,” senior police officers involved in the study said, explaining why drug use is seen more among financially stable youth working in private firms.
To address this emerging crisis, the Kerala Police has designed PODA as a preventive framework to be adopted by private sector institutions.
Under the proposed guidelines:
Police officials stressed that PODA is intended not merely as a punitive mechanism, but as a deterrent and an early-warning system that discourages substance abuse while promoting healthier workplace cultures.
Several prominent private sector organisations have already discussed the implementation of PODA and accepted it in principle.
These include the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, G-Tech (Group of Technology Companies), FICCI, CII, Young Indians (YI), BNI, and KMA.
Among them, Young Indians (YI) — an organisation of entrepreneurs under the age of 40 operating under the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) — has taken the lead by expressing readiness to roll out PODA in its member institutions.
As part of this commitment, PODA will be implemented from January 2026 across YI-affiliated establishments.
In the initial phase, 21 companies employing around 1,100 young professionals will be covered under the scheme.
The Kerala Police said that with the approval of the state government, PODA will eventually be extended to government institutions as well, ensuring a uniform approach to drug prevention across sectors.
By actively participating in the PODA initiative, the private sector is expected to emerge as a pioneer in workplace-based drug prevention.
Police officials believe this will inspire the IT sector and other industries to follow suit, transforming PODA into a statewide movement.
“The fight against drugs cannot be won by enforcement alone. Prevention, responsibility and collective ownership are key,” Ravada Chandrasekhar said, adding that PODA represents a transformative step towards safeguarding Kerala’s youth and preventing drug-related harm before it takes root.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
