By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
In commemorating the United Nations (UN) Day against Drugs and Illicit Trafficking, a local Non-Governmental Organization- FoRUT has engaged youths and stakeholders of the Dwarzack community, Freetown on the dangers of drug abuse.
The theme for this year’s commemoration is titled: “The evidence is clear: Invest in Prevention.”
Giving an overview of the event on the 26th of June 2024, the Head of Programmes at FoRUT, Alhassan Jalloh noted that the day is set aside to raise awareness on the harmful effects of drugs on youths and the community which he said is a cause for concern.
He said the engagement is in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) across the country and their focus on Dwarzack is to help rehabilitate drug victims through community-based sensitization.
He added that most people said they use drugs for pleasure which he said is the opposite of what they are thinking as drugs make many people lose their jobs.
He stated that people have been urging the government to declare a state of emergency on drugs- which has been done, saying the cooperation of people is what is highly needed to eradicate the drug menace in the country. He said the government has promised to set up treatment and rehabilitation centres across the 16 districts of the country and it is the duty of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to ask the government how far they have gone on that promise.
Jalloh urged the government to ensure that they break the supply chain of drugs in the country and to change the 2008 drug control law which punishes drug dealers and replace it with the West African model that focuses on rehabilitation.
The Mammy Queen of Dwarzack, Matu Kamara expressed their appreciation to FoRUT for selecting her community for such an engagement. She highlighted the pathetic picture of helpless youths lying in the streets of Freetown after taking the synthetic substance known as “Kush.”
Doris Kebbie – a rehabilitated drug addict said with the help of FoRUT, her life has changed for the better, and now focuses on her business. She advised other drug users to stop the habit or risk endangering their lives.
Brima Joe popularly known as “Money Face” is another survivor who consumed and sold kush, but said through the help of stakeholders, he has stopped taking it. He said most kush smokers engage in the habit out of frustration, as some of them have graduated with no job, whilst others have learned driving and other skills but are unable to secure jobs.
He said if youths have something to do, they will not be sitting in ghettos for the rest of the day. He urged stakeholders to continue engaging youths to stop what he referred to as a dangerous practice.
A CSO representative John Kamara advised youths that drugs are harmful as they destroy the development of any community, saying Kush in particular has led to many youths dying from kush-related health complications across the country, or engaging in theft. He urged parents to monitor their children to know the kind of friends they align with. Describing the dangers of drugs, he said it is addictive as most of them want to stop their intake but they cannot.
One of the participants at the event, Hawanatu Thoronka noted that she cannot continue her schooling at the tertiary level but that hasn’t pushed her into using drugs. She told the gathering that not having a job should not push anyone to take kush as there are many odd jobs out there to earn someone a living.
Just recently, the government declared a state of emergency on drugs, particularly Kush to cut the supply chain of the substance.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (01/07/24)
