From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Disturbed by the growing cases of drug abuse particularly amongst young people, a leading rights group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has launched school-to-school sensitization campaign on the dangers of hard drugs in the South East.
Two different teams from HURIWA, at the weekend, stormed schools in Aba, Abia State and Owerri, Imo State, respectively.
Izuagba Chidinma led a team to City Secondary School, Wetheral Road Owerri, while South East Focal Person for HURIWA, Miss. Obilor Gracecliffs, led another team to Ndiegoro Community Secondary School Ulasi Road Aba. Hundreds of students gladly embraced the programme even as they requested HURIWA to set up anti-drug club for them.
The campaigners talked to the students about hard drugs habit, drug abuse, and the implications they have for their future as students. They stated that doing drugs was the worst thing that can happen to any student: “We are here to prove to you how your life and future can be taken away before your very eyes by hard drug habits. If you pay attention just for a few minutes you will learn what drug is, what hard drugs are, what drug and substance abuse and addiction is, drug dependence, and how they develop in the individual regardless of age.”
HURIWA believes that drug education can play a counterbalancing role in shaping a normative culture of safety, moderation, and informed decision-making.
It disclosed that students free of hard drug habits shall be appointed HURIWA Drug Education Ambassadors to drive anti-drug school clubs and help others understand the negative consequences of using drugs.
HURIWA also urged the schools to introduce drug abuse prevention and control Day every term, promising to supply the professionals to talk to students: “Hard drugs are super destroyers and students must understand this fact and run away from drugs. As students, you are mostly adolescents. What that means is you are still mentally and physically growing but research has proved that drug and alcohol abuse can also interfere with the developing adolescent brain permanently and negatively.
“The menace of drug abuse and misuse is seriously threatening the student and youth population. For instance, there is evidence that drug misuse reduces the academic performance of students. This happens through a strong desire to take the drug, difficulties in controlling its use, persisting in its use despite harmful consequences, a higher priority given to drug use than to other activities and obligations, increased tolerance, and sometimes a physical withdrawal state and damaged immune systems…In short, drug abuse can render a student useless and he or she can easily die as a result.”