Worried by the rising drug abuse cases in Delta State, a non-governmental organisation, the state chapter of Partners for Peace in Niger Delta, has embarked on a campaign in public schools to dissuade students from consuming illicit drugs.
The sensitisation team of P4P on Friday took the campaign to Ugborikoko Secondary School, Ugborikoko, in the Uvwie Local Government Area of the state, where the students were enlightened about the harmful effects of drugs abuse and the roles students can play in enlightening others on how to stop or never venture into such an act.
Addressing the students, the Delta State Coordinator of P4P, Jennifer Okotie, defined drug abuse as “the use of illegal drugs or the use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than those for which they are meant to be used, or in excessive amounts.”
She lamented that drug abuse among youths had become rampant recently, just as she charged the students to become anti-drug campaigners to curb the menace in society.
She further educated the students on various forms of drug abuse as well as the effects, adding, “Drug abuse may lead to social, physical and emotional problems including psychological effects which could eventually lead to wild mood swings, depression, anxiety, paranoia, crime, illness, lost opportunity, and reduced productivity.”
Speaking in the same vein, a member of the team, Mr. Chuks Odagwe, sensitised the students on how addiction to drug abuse could negatively affect their dreams in life.
He also reminded the students of the devastating effects of illicit drugs just as he exhorted them on ways to avoid falling victim to gangs that could influence them to take drugs.
In their responses, some students of the school, including Onome Favour Elo and Joseph Joshua, expressed gratitude to the group for the enlightenment session, which they claimed was quite informative and detailed as it availed them the opportunity of understanding the harm drug abuse cause to the body.
“The information I got from this session will serve as a guide to me and I will abstain from drug abuse and take this good message beyond the school environment to my friends,” Elo stated.
Also responding, a teacher in the school, Mrs. Dora Ejoyokah, expressed satisfaction at the engagement with the students hoping that the sensitization campaign would be sustained to have a better impact on students.
