Students Cautioned against Drug Abuse, As Anambra Library, NDLEA Mark 2021 IDADAIT

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

Students have been cautioned and counselled to refrain from illicit drugs abuse and trafficking, to avert its numerous effects and consequences.

The Director of Anambra State Library Board, Dr. Nkechi Udeze made the call in her address of welcome at the 2021 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (IDADAIT), organised by the Library, in collaboration with National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, which held in Abagana, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State.

According to her, the library organised the event as one of its social reorientation activities aimed at helping the people become great and responsible change makers, as well effecting positive societal changes and making the society a better place to live, through awareness creation and social reorientation.

Addressing the students, she said, "We are here because we want you people to be better people in future and attain greatness in the society. We are also here because we want you people succeed and not to end up in prisons or end bad in life. We have seen various damages and effects of hard drugs and drug abuse in the society, hence the Library's decision to join in the fight against drug abuse, among other social reorientation activities we engage in."

"I therefore urge you students, the parents, teachers and everyone concerned to desist from drug abuse and play their own part in fighting the menace, as it has a chain of effects and is capable of terminating one's life and making the society inhabitable," she advised.

Earlier in a lecture, the Principal Sfaff Officer, Drug Demand Reduction Unit, NDLEA, Anambra State Command, Dr. Chinwe Thompson defined drug as any substance, which, when used or taken into the body, affects the body and the mind by changing the body's function or behaviour. She also defined drug abuse as an act of taking totally banned drugs, not medically necessary drugs, and excessive drug. She highlighted the various types of drugs, their forms of abuse and misuse, and their consequent physical, sociological and psychological effects.

She said, "According to the United Nations' OVC 2020 reports, about 348 million persons use drug globally, while about 11 billion persons inject drugs. In Nigeria, 15 million persons use drug, while 80 million persons inject drugs; and 36 million persons suffer from drug use disorder in the world. Indeed, drug abuse is very dangerous. So, I urge you students refrain from it, concentrate on your studies and responsible people in the society."

On his own part, the the DPO, Njikoka Divisional Police Headquarters, Abagana, CSP Matthew Okafor, represented by SP Ignatius Okafor enlightened the participants on the roles of the police and other security agencies in the fight against drug abuse, and its legal consequence, which include arrest, detainment, prosecution and imprisonment among others.

In their separate remarks, the President General of Abagana Community, Chief Linus Okafor Okunwa a representative of Uru-Okpala Village Abagana the community, Chief Vincent Sunday Okeke commended the Library for celebrating this year's event in their community and advised the participants to put all they were taught into practice, even as they pledged to take the sensitization and awareness from their.

Some of the participants at the event, including Chukwudi Rejoice and Nwobi Oluchukwu from Girls Secondary, Abagana; Agbanwoizu Chidiebere from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Secondary School, Abagana; and Abaelu Chika fromAll Saints Secondary School Abagana confessed that they learnt a lot at the event, and promised to put everything they were taught into practice.

The theme of this year's celebration is "Share Facts on Drugs, Save Lives".