Family instability and weak emotional support systems at home remain among the key factors contributing to the rise in substance abuse among Bhutanese children and adolescents, according to Education and Skills Development Minister Yeezang De Thapa.
The government is intensifying efforts to tackle growing drug use among school-going youth through school-based interventions, parental engagement programmes, and collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
The concern comes amid increasing cases of substance abuse among adolescents in Bhutan. Records show that more than half of all drug-related arrests in recent years involved individuals below the age of 24, including children between 13 and 16 years old.
Speaking during a Meet-the-Press session, Lyonpo Yeezang De Thapa said the issue must be understood beyond statistics, stressing that each case reflects deeper emotional and social struggles involving children, families, and communities.
The minister said the ministry has identified family instability and the lack of meaningful emotional support as major risk factors pushing young people toward substance use. As a result, the government is shifting its approach from punishment-based responses to prevention, compassion, and early intervention.
As part of this strategy, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development has introduced the School Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which includes eight wellbeing programmes across schools nationwide.
Among these initiatives is the Mentor-Mentee Programme, under which teachers take on mentoring roles to build stronger relationships with students and provide emotional guidance and support.
Officials said the programme is designed to reduce feelings of isolation, stress, and vulnerability among students — factors often linked to substance abuse.
The ministry acknowledged that schools are increasingly being required to address emotional and social problems that frequently originate within family environments.
In addition to school interventions, the government has expanded efforts to involve parents more actively through the Helping Adolescents Thrive (HAT) initiative, launched in partnership with UNICEF.
The programme provides parents with practical communication and active listening skills to help them engage more openly and effectively with their children.
According to the ministry, the HAT programme is currently being implemented in 168 schools identified as having students at higher risk of substance abuse and related behavioural issues.
The Royal Bhutan Police is also playing a significant role in the government’s strategy through awareness campaigns and advocacy programmes conducted in schools.
Alongside counselling sessions provided by school counsellors, police officers are educating students on the health risks and legal consequences associated with drug use.
By involving teachers, parents, counsellors, and law enforcement agencies, the ministry aims to address youth substance abuse as a broader social and community issue rather than simply an individual problem.
However, officials acknowledged that as drug-related cases among young people continue to rise, the long-term success of these interventions will depend on sustained cooperation between families, schools, communities, and government institutions.
