Drug trafficking fuels money laundering, terrorism, corruption and transnational organized crime which has become a problem for the world.
Ghana joined the rest of the world to celebrate this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking, with a declaration that the menace was a threat to national development.
The day was instituted by the United Nations (UN) in 1987 and has since been celebrated internationally on June 26 every year.
It is a day set aside by the UN to raise awareness about the effects of drug abuse and illicit trafficking on the individual, community and the world at large.
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On this day member states are expected to organise sensitization programmes that will enlighten the citizenry on the dangers and negative effects of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
The theme for this year’s World Drug Day is: ‘Listen First-Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe’ a theme focused on addressing the general concerns of Children and the Youth in the society as well as throwing more light on parents to take up their full responsibility in helping shape the lives of our youth.
This year’s celebration would address the need for parents, guardians, and the community to cultivate the habit of listening to children and youth to be abreast with their needs, concerns, emotions and all that pertain to their general wellbeing.
In view of this, parents, guardians, clergy and the community are encouraged to monitor the daily activities of the children; the friends they keep, what they watch on social media and frequent their schools to ask of the performance and behavior of their children etc.
When parents and their children become sensitive to each other’s feelings, it will go a long way to build a mutual trust and confidence leading the children to naturally preserve their family bonds.
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According to the world drug report (UNODC) 2017 about 190,000 people lost their lives to drug abuse and a higher number of them also suffered from drug use disorders and its related diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis B&C and Tuberculosis.
Drug trafficking fuels money laundering, terrorism, corruption and transnational organized crime which has become a problem for the world.
Also, NACOB cautioned the general public especially the youth about the excessive abuse of Tramadol and cough mixtures containing components of codeine as they give similar effects of narcotics substance.