Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala police are joining hands with the private sector in the state for a collaborative initiative to address the growing concern of young professionals falling prey to drug menace.

As part of the initiative titled 'Prevention of Drug Abuse (PODA)', the private sector employees are required to sign a mandatory pledge against drug abuse at the time of joining, a police statement said here.

They may also provide consent for periodic drug testing during employment, and face disciplinary action, including dismissal, if drug use is detected, it said.

The state police has come up with the initiative in the wake of a recent survey conducted by the Ministry of Health which has found that financially stable youth in the 25-35 age group are the most vulnerable to drug use.

The survey noted that drug consumption among this group often remains confined to small circles of friends, making detection difficult for outsiders. It was also observed that a majority of these individuals are employed in the private sector.

Studies further indicate that while the average age for entry into government service through the Public Service Commission (PSC) is around 33 years, entry into the private sector typically occurs at a much younger age.

As a result, nearly 98 per cent of youth aged 30 are employed in the private sector, many of whom have access to substantial income at a young age, contributing to higher instances of drug use, the statement said.

The implementation of PODA has been discussed with several private sector organisations, including the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, G-Tech (Group of Technology Companies), FICCI, CII, Young Indians (YI) and so on, all of which have agreed to the initiative in principle, it said.

Young Indians, an organisation of entrepreneurs under the age of 40, has expressed readiness to implement PODA in its member institutions from January 2026. With this, 21 companies employing around 1,100 young professionals will come under the scheme in the initial phase.

Officials said the partnership with the Kerala Police positions the private sector as a leader in corporate-driven drug prevention, with the potential to inspire similar efforts across sectors.

The initiative is expected to play a transformative role in safeguarding youth and preventing drug-related harm, it said, adding that the project is also proposed to be extended to state-run institutions, subject to the approval of the state government.

Meanwhile, police authorities said they have intensified their fight against drug trafficking and abuse in the state through multiple initiatives, registering 30,991 cases this year so far as part of the D-Hunt special drive against narcotics.

According to official data, of the total cases registered, 349 involved the seizure of commercial quantities of drugs, 957 cases pertained to intermediate quantities, and 7,718 cases involved the seizure of small quantities, the statement added.