‘No-Tobacco Zone’ within 500 meters of schools and colleges! Sale of intoxicants, including alcohol and gutkha, banned.

New Delhi: The Centre has proposed designating a 500-meter radius around educational institutions as a drug-free zone. This means the sale of tobacco, alcohol, gutkha, or any form of intoxicants will be completely prohibited within this half-kilometer radius. Additionally, a proposal has been made to introduce voluntary drug testing under student welfare programs in higher education institutions that receive financial assistance from the Centre. These proposals have been put forward under the vision documents (2026–2029) for drug control.