Mon Jun 23 14:04:18 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

To mark World Anti-Drug Day and the 10th anniversary of Kerala’s prison smoking ban, the Malabar Cancer Care Society (MCCS) will host awareness programs at Kannur Central Jail on June 26. The event, inaugurated by the Kannur District Medical Officer, will feature expert-led sessions, inmate performances, and a magic show promoting drug-free and smoke-free environments. MCCS initiated Kerala’s prison smoking ban in 2015, making it the first state in India to do so. They also launched “No Tobacco Clinics” in prisons and continue to spearhead awareness campaigns in correctional facilities.

**News Article:**

**Kannur Jail to Host Anti-Drug and Tobacco Awareness Program on World Anti-Drug Day**

*Kannur, June 23, 2025* – The Malabar Cancer Care Society (MCCS) will conduct a series of awareness programs at the Kannur Central Jail on June 26th, marking World Anti-Drug Day and the 10th anniversary of the ban on smoking in Kerala’s prisons.

The events, scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., aim to promote drug-free and smoke-free environments and will be inaugurated by Kannur District Medical Officer Dr. Piyush Namboothiripad. The program will feature anti-drug and anti-tobacco awareness sessions led by medical experts, musical performances by inmates who have successfully overcome addiction, and an anti-drug magic show by renowned magician Prashant Vengad.

MCCS president D.D. Krishnanadha Pai highlighted that this year also marks a decade since Kerala became the first state in India to enforce a complete smoking ban inside prisons, a move initiated by the MCCS in 2015 after receiving complaints from non-smoking inmates. This initiative, following a 2014 government order, was later adopted by prisons across North India and eventually nationwide.

Since 2014, MCCS has also operated ‘No Tobacco Clinics’ within prisons, providing monthly counselling and awareness sessions for inmates seeking to quit smoking. The organization has been instrumental in leading numerous awareness drives on tobacco and drug addiction within correctional facilities.

The June 26th program is expected to serve as a vital reminder of the ongoing importance of anti-drug and anti-tobacco initiatives, particularly within the prison system.

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