KATHMANDU: Home Minister Sudhan Gurung has directed the police administration to break the drug supply chain to protect the younger generation from addiction driven by temporary entertainment.

Issuing a special message on the occasion of the “International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (June 26),” Home Minister Gurung emphasized that this international day should not be limited to mere formality.

Instead, he ordered the police administration to be highly proactive and strike at the very root of the problem.

The Home Minister’s message noted that various research reports indicate a worrisome rise in drug trafficking.

To tackle this challenge, he explained that the Government of Nepal has recognized drug abuse as a major social threat and adopted a policy to launch a dedicated campaign aimed at ending the drug menace.

“Primarily, this has severely harmed the health and mental development of young students and youth,” the statement read. “Drug trafficking and abuse are not just social evils; they constitute a complex, cross-border organized crime that undermines national security, causes economic loss, and weakens public health.”

The Ministry of Home Affairs expressed its commitment to mobilizing all mechanisms, strictly enforcing the law, and continuously pursuing legal reforms to dismantle such criminal networks.

To achieve a drug-free society, the Ministry has prioritized prevention, control, and the treatment and rehabilitation of addicts back into society.

Recognizing that solving this social challenge is impossible through government efforts alone, the Home Minister called for a collective partnership among local communities, all three tiers of government, schools, civil society, and the media.

Under the slogan “Recognize the challenge of drugs in time: Seek the path of social solutions,” Minister Gurung appealed to everyone to move forward with clear policies and concrete implementation to build a safer society.