CM Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday (July 30, 2026) called to fight against narcotics as a collective battle to protect children’s future, launching the “Drug Free campaign” in Mumbai. Under the initiative of the Department for Skills, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) formed 4,000 guidance and counselling committees across schools and colleges in Mumbai.

“Counselling at the right age and at the right time is the need of the hour. We need to take a preventive measure to prevent youth from the clutches of addiction,” said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai’s Worli region during the launch. 

The move has been initiated after Mumbai saw several cases of narcotics, where youngsters lost their lives, including the NESCO case.

Two MBA students, one aged 24, died due to alleged overdose and one 28-year-old was hospitalised after allegedly consuming MDMA (ecstasy) during a music concert at Mumbai’s NESCO Exhibition Centre in Goregaon in April. 

The campaign will involve schools and colleges for active participation of parent-teacher associations and other stakeholders, including the public health system, doctors in the health sector, and NGOs. 

BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide canvassed for students’ participation in the Drugs Free Mumbai campaign. “A large number of school students will take the oath under the ‘Drugs Free Mumbai’ campaign and to increase publicity for BEST initiatives as well as metro stations, which will be part of the public transport initiative. .