Drug and alcohol threat-Keep watch over others |28 May 2005

Many Seychellois knew to their horror that some of the victims in fact get more than they ever bargained for, having been tricked by their own merciless fellow citizens.

Other Seychellois sell their own brothers' and sisters' blood to foreigners for a quick buck without caring a hoot about the consequences and suffering they cause when they give them drugs laced with highly potent substances.

Hearing that many of the 600 Seychellois treated in the last five years have had to spend time encaged in the psychiatric ward alone, was a shock almost too hard to bear.

There are several firm measures we can take, the first one being to make a vow that we who are well will do everything never to be caught in the drag abuse net.

The second one is to lure away any potential victims whom we find trying the dangerous substances and if possible setting up squads of counsellors in districts who can be contacted to rush and help potential young victims found experimenting with cigarettes, alcohol or drugs.

Finally, we must start seeing abusers as victims who need our help and encouragement to seek treatment, and encourage them to follow it.

For a nation to be called healthy, everyone needs to be well, because the triers we ignore today, could become the pushers we feel threatened by tomorrow.