International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, June 26 |26 June 2019

Mrs Rene

Care stresses importance of early prevention in the fight against drugs

“The hideousness of the drug situation that is sadly robbing our children, youth, and families of a promising future requires that parents become more pro-active and aggressive in early prevention and intervention that seek to protect children against substance use.”

This comes in a message from the chairperson of Care (Committee for Awareness, Resilience & Education), Sarah Rene, to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking being commemorated today.

The full text of Mrs Rene’s message reads:

“As the world and Seychelles once again commemorate the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking and in view of UNODC’s focus being on justice and health in addressing the world’s drug problems, Care (Committee for Awareness, Resilience & Education) would like to express solidarity with all our fallen brothers and sisters, with the hope that their recovery may bring them reasons to hope for tomorrow.

“Since we are losing the fight of enforcement, losing the fight towards reducing the amount of drugs available on our streets it makes it even more important to focus our energies on Prevention. We need to make our children and youth so strong that however much drugs there are on the streets our kids will resist and stay strong. This is the way to go – the only way to go.

“Drugs are everywhere – easily accessible to anyone, threatening our children and youth. It is being pushed aggressively on every street corner. On the other hand the increasing normalisation of cannabis use, which is a dangerous drug, is starting our children on the way to a drug life.

“Care is very worried about the future of this country. With the present fight against heroin, drug dealers are switching to other drugs, some of which are even more dangerous than heroin.

“The hideousness of the drug situation that is sadly robbing our children, youth, and families of a promising future requires that parents become more pro-active and aggressive in early prevention and intervention that seek to protect children against substance use. They have a responsibility to protect their children, encourage, guide and understand them, give them a loving and nurturing environment, help them to feel loved and accepted. Parents are our greatest hope to bringing up resilient children and youth. The country has to invest in training our parents how to parent effectively and give them all the support and help they need.

“However much we concentrate on Prevention the rampant availability of drugs is a huge concern and Care does not feel enough is being done to deal with this situation. We take this opportunity to appeal once again to the drug dealers wherever they are to examine their conscience and decide whether they want to carry on living a life that is destroying so many lives.

“We would also like to appeal to our country’s leadership, policy and decision makers to always take prudently calculated decisions relating to the drug control subject, with the best interest of children in mind always, so as to safeguard the well-being of this generation and those to come.

“Let the painful reality of ‘Drugs against life’ be shifted to ‘Life against drugs’. Life is our children’s journey too, we have a duty to help them to travel drug free. We can all help to make a difference.”