CJI Surya Kant calls child substance abuse a child protection concern

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has emphasized that substance abuse among children must be addressed not only as a public health issue but also as a critical child protection concern. Speaking at the ‘Childhood Beyond Drugs’ programme in Patna, Bihar, the Chief Justice noted that substance use can interrupt education, strain family relationships, and increase a child's vulnerability to exploitation, violence, and trafficking.

Citing a Lancet study, Justice Kant highlighted that at least one in five teenagers in India is at moderate to high risk of substance abuse. He advocated for a ‘child-sensitive response’ to addiction, focusing on the importance of rehabilitation and reintegration to safeguard the physical and mental well-being, dignity, and self-worth of young people.

During his visit to Patna, the Chief Justice also held an open house interaction with law students at Chanakya National Law University (CNLU). This marked the first direct engagement by a sitting Chief Justice with students of a law university, where he discussed legal education, student rights, and judicial reforms.