INTRODUCTION

The Government of Andhra Pradesh is committed to creating a drug and

tobacco free society. To curb the menace of drugs and tobacco, various
initiatives have been launched to raise awareness among the youth and the
broader community. The Drug Free Andhra Pradesh [DFAP] is a comprehensive
drug and tobacco prevention awareness program, being implemented across all
universities and colleges of Andhra Pradesh.

College-based drug awareness program is essential in equipping young adults

with the knowledge, resources, and support needed to make informed choices,
prevent substance abuse and foster a healthier campus environment. The
program can help students:

- Understand the harmful consequences of drugs and tobacco use

- Understand the legal penalties and university rules regarding drugs

- Learn effective strategies to confidently refuse drugs or tobacco.

The Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education [APSCHE], through an

order dated 14th October 2024, directed all State Universities to implement the
Drug-Free Andhra Pradesh Program (DFAP) across all colleges, in compliance with
Government Order GO 151 [Higher Education [HC] Department dated 27th
September 2024. APSCHE has appointed Sambandh Health Foundation [SHF], a
non-profit, based in Gurugram, Haryana as implementation partner for this
program.

The Drug Free Andhra Pradesh Program for Higher Education

Appointment of Unit Nodal: In each college, a Nodal Officer must be appointed

(referred to as Unit Nodal). In technical colleges, a Unit Nodal is to be appointed
for each Branch/Department, up to 5. In case there are more than 5
branches/departments in a technical college, they should be combined to form
5 Units - A, B, C, D, E.

The Principal/Head of Institution is responsible for appointing Unit Nodals, whose

details should be uploaded on the link: [Link]

SHF will conduct on-line classes to train and certify Unit Nodals on how to conduct
this Sensitisation Class.
Every Unit Nodal has to undertake two trainings:

1) How to conduct Sensitization Class

2) How to conduct the DFAP program

Role of Unit Nodal in College/Branch/Department

SENSITIZATION CLASS GUIDE
This document contains the topics and teaching methodology by Unit Nodals of
the Sensitization Class for students.

GUIDELINES FOR THE SENSITIZATION CLASS

● Each Sensitization Class should have a maximum class size of 40 students to

encourage interaction and facilitate discussions.

● Unit Nodals will need to conduct multiple classes to ensure all students in the
Unit take the Sensitization Class.

● All students must take the Sensitization Class and complete an online test
afterward, to receive an e-certificate.

TIPS FOR UNIT NODALS

The DFAP Unit Nodal is meant to be a facilitator, that is a person who is proficient
in the concerned area and guides learners in building essential knowledge and
skills through interactive activities and sessions. The success of the program
depends on the Unit Nodals effectively carrying out their roles & responsibilities in
each college.

Unit Nodals should:

● Review the reference material thoroughly to prepare for potential questions

during the session.

● Encourage active student participation through brainstorming and discussions.

● Maintain a non-judgmental stance toward students' opinions, guiding them

toward informed perspectives. Avoid critical or sarcastic remarks, as positive
engagement enhances effectiveness while negativity discourages
involvement.
 ● Foster participation by engaging all students, particularly the more reserved
ones, and inviting them to share their thoughts.

● Promote critical thinking and open dialogue to help students make informed
decisions, reinforcing positive peer influence and healthy choices.

● Address controversial topics tactfully by allowing the group to engage and

resolve them collaboratively.

● You can include your own PowerPoint presentations or audio-visual clips as

needed.

● DO NOT PRESENT IMAGES OF DRUGS OR DETAILS ON THEIR USAGE OR EFFECTS,

AS THIS CAN GLAMORIZE DRUG USAGE.

● The duration of the class can be flexible, ranging from 60 to 90 minutes,

depending on the time availability and discussions.

Sensitization Class Schedule

Time (minutes)
Description Methodology

25 Session 1: Brainstorming, Questions for

Program Introduction instructor
What are some of the drugs you have
heard of?
What would you like to know about drugs?

25 Session 2: Case study

Drugs Consequences

20 Session 3:
a) Why do people try drugs? Brain Storming
b) Dealing with offers to try substances

10 Session 4: Legal issues Presentation

5 Test Link:
[Link]
nt-test
The Sensitization Class covers the harms of drug abuse and legal penalties.
This is the basic minimum every student has to do under the DFAP program.
However, the College may want to hold extra classes to help students
acquire the life-skills to resist drugs and tobacco use. The following
supplementary classes are recommended.

Supplementary (Optional)

Sn Description Methodology

5 Handling negative feelings Situation

6 Handling offers to try drugs Role play

 CONTENTS

Session Topic Page No.

Session 1 Program introduction 9

Session 2 Drugs – the consequences 9

Session 3a Why do youngsters use drugs? 11

Session 3b Dealing with Offers to Try Substances 11

Session 4 Legal issues 12

Session 5 Handling negative feelings 13

Session 6 Handling offers to try drugs 14

Fact Sheet: Global Adult Tobacco Survey (2016-17)

NOTE ON NDPS ACT
SIGNAGE
RESOURCES
Session 1: Program Introduction (Time: 25 minutes)
Purpose: Students will reflect on the consequences of drug use among young
people, while the session will enable the teacher to assess their awareness of
drug and tobacco use.

1. Introduce the program and foster an environment for open questions and
enthusiastic participation.

2. Ask the class:

● What are some drugs you’ve heard of?

● What is drug abuse?

3. Encourage students to share their responses, avoiding any expressions of

surprise or criticism. For common drug names, please refer to the resource
section of this manual.

4. Summarize by stating that drugs are mood-altering substances that can harm
users. They can be legal or illegal, and even prescribed medications can
become harmful if misused. Drug abuse is defined as the excessive,
maladaptive, or addictive use of drugs for nonmedical purposes, potentially
leading to physical and psychological dependence.

5. Invite further discussion by asking students for their questions and encourage
participation from everyone.

Session 2: Drugs – the consequences (Time: 25 minutes)

Purpose: Information on the negative consequences of tobacco and drug use is
shared to raise awareness

1. Assess students' existing knowledge and awareness by discussing case studies

that illustrate the impact of drugs on individuals' lives. Choose any one.

2. Encourage active participation and discussion among students.

3. List all the responses.

4. Summarize the responses for the class and add any additional point missed by
the students.

Suggested Case Studies:

Case 1: Vijay, a 24-year-old college student, once excelled in academics

and sports but spiraled into drug addiction after being introduced to ganja
(marijuana) by friends. His dependence grew, requiring multiple daily doses
of various substances. To support his habit, Vijay resorted to borrowing
money and stealing from hostel rooms, buying drugs from local dealers. His
physical and mental health deteriorated—he became unkempt, anxious,
and irritable. Vijay’s academic performance plummeted, leading to failed
exams and lost opportunities, and his athletic potential vanished due to his
declining health. His relationships suffered as his family distanced
themselves, and friends either withdrew or were unsure how to help.
Isolated and overwhelmed, Vijay attempted suicide but was saved. He
also faced legal issues as a result of his actions, further complicating his life.

Discussion:

1. What is the impact of drugs on Vijay's life?

2. What could be possible reasons for Vijay's drug dependence?
3. What is meant by withdrawal symptoms?
4. Why do some people get addicted to substances easily and others
don't?
Case 2: Manjit Singh, a 28-year-old man from a small village in India,
tragically lost his life in June last year due to a drug overdose. His death
was not just a personal loss to his family but a stark reminder of the growing
drug problem among youth. Manjit’s father, who works in
the government's power department, was devastated by the loss of his
son. In his grief and desperation, he marched through the streets of their
village carrying his son's body, a heart-wrenching sight that caught the
attention of many.

Discussion:
1. What is the impact of drug addiction on families?
2. How should we address the drug crisis?
3. Why are young people more vulnerable to drug addiction?
4. What strategies can protect youth from drug addiction?

Session 3a: Why do youngsters use drugs? (Time: 10 minutes)

Purpose: Teachers will help Students to reflect upon why young people
experiment with drugs

1. Engage students in discussion, you may start the session by asking questions
like, "What motivates young people to use drugs?

2. Encourage students to participate and list their responses. They may include:

● Pleasure: Seeking happiness, enjoyment, or an experience.

● Peer Pressure: Using drugs to fit in or avoid disappointing friends or family

who advocate for substance use.

● Coping: Turning to substances as a means to manage feelings of sadness,

disappointment, anxiety, boredom, or fear.

3. Summarize that the reasons for drug use generally fall into three categories:
seeking pleasure, coping with challenges, and yielding to peer pressure.

Session 3b: Dealing with Offers to Try Substances (Time: 10 minutes)

Purpose: This session emphasizes refusal skills, allowing students to role-play
scenarios that demonstrate how to effectively say 'No'
1. Begin by asking the class, “In what ways are substances offered, and how
should we respond?”

2. Document student suggestions on the board for clarity.

3. Summarize the various situations in which substance offers may arise and
effective strategies for saying 'No.' Discuss how clearly the 'No' was
communicated and whether any additional actions could have been taken.

Key Points for Saying 'No':

● Use a clear, firm, and assertive tone.

● No means No: repeat 'No' if necessary to reinforce your stance.

● Keep responses concise and direct.

● Suggest an alternative activity to engage in together instead of using drugs.

● Remove yourself from the situation if the offer persists after you've said 'No.'

Emphasize that saying 'No' is a powerful strategy that can be done respectfully,
without offending others. Additionally, this approach may encourage others in
the group to refuse as well, promoting a collective commitment to staying
drug-free.

Session 4: Legal issues (Time: 10 minutes)

Purpose: This session focuses on the legal penalties and consequences associated
with drug abuse

1. Utilize the PowerPoint presentation to explain the legal penalties associated

with various drugs. (refer resource link: [Link] or
Annexure 1.

2. Discuss the specific punishments linked to different substances

3. Emphasize that drug abuse has the potential to devastate lives

 Supplementary Work (Optional)

Session 5: Handling negative feelings

Purpose: Students will identify situations where they face negative

emotions, explore healthy ways to cope, and understand that using drugs
is an unhealthy choice.

1. Explain that we encounter various situations daily that can evoke different
feelings. These feelings can be categorized into four groups:

● GLAD: Feelings of happiness, excitement, or relaxation.

● SAD: Experiences of loss, failure or rejection.

● MAD: Feelings of anger, frustration or unfair treatment.

● BAD: Other negative emotions: stress, guilt, jealousy, shame, or fear.

2. Divide the class into small groups. Each group will identify and describe five
situations that evoke feelings of SAD, MAD, or BAD.

3. Address each category of feeling one at a time, starting with SAD:

4. Ask each group to share their situations without repeating those already
mentioned.

5. Repeat the process for MAD and BAD, encouraging discussion and
examples for each emotion.

6. Facilitate a discussion on effective ways to cope with SAD, MAD, and BAD
emotions.

7. List and explore coping strategies for each category.

8. Highlight that anger often masks deeper feelings, such as sadness. For
instance, feeling ignored may initially lead to anger, but the underlying
emotion is often sadness. Reinforce the importance of recognizing and
understanding our emotions and developing healthy coping mechanisms
to manage them effectively.
 9. Drugs are not a healthy way to manage sadness, anger, or other difficult
emotions. Although they may provide temporary relief, they ultimately
heighten anxiety, decrease stress tolerance, and contribute to long-term
mental and emotional instability. Furthermore, being under the influence
can lead to actions or words that exacerbate existing issues.

SAD BAD MAD

● Confide in ● Engage in a ● Engage in a relaxing

someone you relaxing activity activity
trust and feel ● Choose to let it ● Choose to let it go and
comfortable with. go and move move forward.
● Allow yourself to forward. ● Take a break (such as
express emotions, ● Take a break eating, resting, or
such as crying, if (such as eating, speaking to someone)
needed. resting, or and aim to feel better
● Engage in a speaking to the following day.
different activity someone) and ● Reflect on how you
to distract. aim to feel better might handle the
● Reflect on the the following day. situation differently in
situation ● Reflect on how the future
● Reassure yourself you might handle
that setbacks are the situation
part of life differently in the
future

Session 6: Handling offers to try drugs

Purpose: This session focuses on building refusal skills.

1. Divide the class into groups and assign them to prepare and demonstrate
effective ways to say “No” in the following scenarios:

Situation 1: During finals, Vijay feels overwhelmed, and his friends offer him
stimulants to stay awake.
 Situation 2: Mayank shares his family struggles with friends, who suggest
marijuana to help him forget.

Situation 3: At a music festival, Suresh's friends offer him drugs to enhance his
experience.

2. Invite each group to present their role-plays and facilitate a discussion on the
following points:

● The reasons behind the offers to try drugs.

● The effectiveness of their refusal strategies.

● Alternative actions they could have taken in those situations.

3. Emphasize that saying "No" is not only achievable but also empowers others
to do the same.
 THE NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES ACT, 1985

The NDPS Act, 1985, regulates and controls the production, sale, purchase, and
consumption of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in India. Its main
objectives are to:

● Control the spread of drug abuse

● Regulate legal drug-related activities
● Impose strict punishments for drug trafficking

As per the NDPS Act, narcotic drug means, coca leaf, cannabis (hemp),
opium, poppy straw and includes all manufactured drugs and
psychotropic substance means, any substance, natural or synthetic, or any
natural material or any salt or preparation of such substance or material
included in the list of psychotropic substances specified in the schedule, such as,
DET, MDA, LSD, MDM etc. (section 2(xiv) & 2(xxiii), of the NDPS Act)

The NDPS Act criminalizes the following activities:

● Cultivation of opium, cannabis, etc.

● Possession and storage
● Import, export, sale, and purchase
● Transportation, concealment, and usage/consumption
●
Enforcement

Offences are cognizable, allowing authorized officers from central or state

departments to search, seize, and arrest without a warrant if there is credible
information. The Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, applies to arrests, and cases
are handled by special NDPS courts
Commonly abused Drugs

● Benzodiazepines: Drugs that are prescribed by doctors to reduce

anxiety and induce sleep and act by slowing down the activity in the
CNS.
● Sleeping pills, tranquilizers.

● Cannabis: Has a mild depressant effect on the CNS and can change
mood and perception.
● Ganja (Weed, Reefer, Pot, Joint), Hashish / Charas, Bhang.

● Hallucinogens: Drugs that distort perceptions and alter mood

and perception
● LSD, magic mushrooms

● Opioids: Drugs that reduce pain perception and have a depressant

effect on the CNS.
● Heroin and Brown sugar (Illegal)
● Synthetic opioid medications - painkillers prescribed by the doctor to
reduce pain
● Cough syrups that contain codeine.

● Stimulants: Drugs that increase the activity of the CNS

● Cocaine (coke, crack) and Ecstasy (Illegal).
● Caffeine in coffee and energy drinks
● Nicotine in tobacco products and e-cigarettes
 TOBACCO & DRUGS - How can these harm a young person?

Each type of drug has a different effect on the body and mind and harm all

physically and mentally.

Tobacco and youth

● Respiratory and Cardiovascular Diseases: Tobacco use leads to chronic

respiratory conditions, heart disease, and various cancers, significantly

impacting overall health.

● Addiction and Dependency: Nicotine addiction makes quitting difficult,

resulting in continued use despite awareness of its harmful consequences

and often leading to social withdrawal.

Cannabis / Ganja

● Cognitive Impairment: It affects areas of the brain responsible for

memory, concentration, and problem-solving, leading to reduced

academic performance.

● Social Withdrawal: Young people may become self-focused, withdrawing

socially, losing motivation, and engaging less in activities.

● Mental Health Risks: Cannabis increases anxiety and depression, triggers

panic attacks, induces paranoia, and can lead to acute psychotic

episodes.

● Physical Health Risks: It's linked to bronchitis and lung infections, resulting

in poorer physical health and decreased sports performance.

● Impaired Judgment: It clouds thinking and judgment, compromising risk

assessment. This increases vulnerability to physical or sexual violence and

leads to risky sexual behavior.

● Driving Risks: Cannabis reduces alertness and coordination, impairing

driving skills and increasing accident risk.

 ● Addiction Potential: Addiction can develop, making individuals feel

unable to relax or be happy without cannabis, leading to continued use

despite negative consequences.

Inhalants

● Initial Effects: Users may experience relaxation, slurred speech, impaired

coordination, dizziness, headaches, and vomiting.

● Long-term Damage: Inhalants can cause bone marrow, liver, and kidney

damage, as well as hearing loss and permanent nerve damage affecting

mobility.

● Severe Risks: Reduced oxygen supply can lead to brain damage, and

"sudden sniffing death" may occur.

Heroin

● Addiction: Heroin, derived from opium, is highly addictive and significantly

impacts the mind and body.

● Short-term Effects: Users seek pleasure but often become lethargic,

apathetic, and drowsy with mental clouding.

● Dependence and Withdrawal: As the drug wears off, users experience

dullness and an urge to use again, leading to dependence. Withdrawal

symptoms include severe pain, restlessness, and intense cravings.

● Common Side Effects: Users may face confusion, weakness, blurred vision,

and constipation.

● Health Risks: Contaminants can clog blood vessels, affecting vital organs.

Overdose can lead to death by reducing heart rate and breathing.

● Injection Risks: Many users inject heroin, increasing the risk of Hepatitis, HIV,

and other bloodborne infections.

Prescription pills

● Addiction Potential: Sleeping pills, painkillers, and cough medicines can

lead to addiction and should only be used with a prescription.

● Effects: Sleeping pills reduce anxiety and induce sleep but can also worsen

depression, irritability, and aggression, leading to risky behaviors like

unprotected sex.

● Overdose Risk: Combining these drugs with tobacco increases the risk of

overdose death.

● Pain Relief and Drowsiness: Many painkillers and cough medicines cause

drowsiness and reduce pain sensation, prompting increased usage and

potential addiction.
 Consequences of drug abuse

Physical health: negative effects on the organs & risk of infections like HIV /

AIDS

Mental health: risk of mental health disorders, increased anxiety and

nervousness, etc.

Academic: Decline in academic performance, dropout rates

Legal and Financial: Legal penalties, fines, and economic burden

Social: Strain on relationships, social isolation, family conflict

Behavioral Changes: Conflicts with peers, teachers, and parents, leading to

negative thoughts and physical aggression. They may also encounter

disciplinary issues, resulting in suspension or expulsion.

Why Young people are more vulnerable to drug abuse?

1. Pleasure
Many young people experiment with drugs for the thrill and pleasure they
provide. This desire stems from curiosity, seeking excitement, or wanting to
experience something new. Drugs can temporarily enhance mood, making users
feel euphoric or relaxed, and this appeal can drive young people to use them,
especially when they want to escape boredom or enhance recreational
experiences.

2. Peer Pressure
Social influence is a significant factor, especially among teenagers and young
adults. Young people often face strong social pressures to conform to their peers'
behaviors to gain acceptance or fit into certain social circles. When friends or
social groups engage in drug use, individuals may feel pressured to join in, fearing
rejection or ridicule if they decline. The desire to be seen as “cool” or
adventurous.

3. Coping
Some young people turn to drugs as a coping mechanism to deal with stress,
anxiety, or difficult emotion. They may struggle with managing mental health or
personal problems, like family issues or academic stress. Drugs may offer
temporary relief from pain or stress, creating an illusion of control or escape. This
coping mechanism can lead to a cycle where drugs are used repeatedly to
manage emotions, increasing the risk of dependency.

References:
● National Institute of Social Defence, Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment, Government of India, New Delhi, TEACHER’S PROGRAMME
GUIDE on Substance use prevention in school setting.
● Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan at [Link]
● Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Course on Substance (Drug)
Abuse Prevention

****