Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts Hon. Dr Mahendra Reddy is urging members of the public to be active in the combat against the use and abuse of drugs.
With the commemoration of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking yesterday (Thursday 25/06/15), the Minister is determined to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of a society free of drug abuse.
“The National Substance Abuse Advisory Council (NSAAC), which comes under the Ministry of Education, is working tirelessly to reduce the use of illicit drugs in the country especially the use of drugs by young people. For the first quarter of this year, the Council has made it a priority to infiltrate the four divisions conducting awareness workshops for communities, training of trainers for teachers and peer education for students and to let them know the harm associated with drug use,” Minister Reddy said.
The NSAAC team is also hosting a week-long celebration in schools around the country to raise the awareness on the effects drug use and abuse.
“Drugs destroy lives and communities, undermine sustainable development and generate crime. Drugs affect all sectors of our society in particular, drug abuse affects the freedom and development of our young people, our most valuable asset. Drugs are a grave threat to the health and well – being of mankind.
“I am urging community leaders, faith – based organizations, NGOs and everyone in society to come together and work with NSAAC the war against drugs and illicit trafficking with the theme, “OUR HEALTH, OUR LIFE, OUR RESPONSIBILITY” Dr Reddy said.
There have been a series of International Agreements that have been implemented during the 20th Century to impose tight restrictions on the production, distribution and the use of the tree plant- based drugs and their derivatives.
The first significant international treaty was the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. However, in 1988, the Convention against Illicit traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances added new powers to crack down on global drug trafficking.
It was estimated that in 2008, about 208 million people around the globe took illicit drug at least once in 12 months. In 2010, the number has increased to 230 million people and as a result, about 99,000 deaths related to drug use was recorded in 2010.