INTEGRATING VALUE EDUCATION AND LEGAL LITERACY TO CURB DRUG ABUSE AND HIV IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH

Abstract

Arunachal Pradesh faces a surge in drug abuse, particularly injectable drug use, driving a sharp rise in HIV cases. As of February 2025, 2,527 HIV-positive cases were reported, with 80% linked to syringe sharing. Between April 2023 and March 2024, 902 new infections emerged, 81.71% due to needle sharing, with youth in districts like Namsai and Papum Pare especially vulnerable. The state ranks among India’s top four for substance abuse, with alcohol use at 28%. Legal frameworks such as the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985; the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017; and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 provide enforcement tools but fall short on preventive education. Value-based programs and legal awareness on drug and HIV prevention remain limited in schools and colleges, despite initiatives like the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan. This paper proposes integrating value education with life skills and legal literacy into curricula, drawing on the National Education Policy 2020. By fostering moral values, civic responsibility, and resilience, such programs can deter substance abuse, encourage safe behaviors, and empower youth to navigate contemporary risks. This paper seeks to understand the gravity and impact of negative influences on youths and find possible and better solutions to overcome this menace and nurture ethically grounded citizens.