HYDERABAD: Speakers at a seminar on Wednesday urged both teachers and students to play their role in sensitizing communities about the harmful effects of drug usage.
They said the prevention of drugs in youth could be done through launching awareness campaigns via declamation and poster contests, on-campus anti-drug societies and the media.
They said this while addressing the seminar titled “Drugs Abuse Awareness and Prevention”, organized by the Bureau of STAGS, University of Sindh Jamshoro in collaboration with Anti-Crime and Anti-Narcotics Organization, which was held in the auditorium of Institute of Commerce and Management.
Additional Collector Customs Tahir Abbas delivered a lecture on drug abuse in youth, prevention and treatment. He urged both teachers and students to play their role in sensitizing communities about the harmful effects of drug usage.
Assistant Director Anti-Narcotic Force Hyderabad Haroon Tariq underscored the need for protecting the youth from falling victim to drug addiction
by providing them facilities and encouraging them to take up healthy activities to change their lifestyle. He urged the media and civil society to play their role in creating awareness about the impact of drugs on young lives.
On this occasion, Psychiatrist at Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Addiction and Drug Rehabilitation Centre Hyderabad Dr. Shehryar Qambrani said the issue needed immediate attention from print and electronic media and civil society. “They should play a positive role in creating awareness among the masses about the use of drugs”, he said. He ascribed use of drugs to psychological and socio-cultural factors. ‘Drugs use can be prevented if proper measures are taken. Public awareness seminars and campaigns can also be helpful in this regard,’ he added.
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology Dr. Farhat Jokhyo touched upon the core issues related to drug usage and its impact on society. He highlighted the role of the government in prevention of drug abuse and announced his department would w
ork together with the ANF and other organizations to conduct research on how to overcome increasing use of drugs.
Director Bureau of STAGS Dr Ghazala Panhwar said that she was making efforts to keep a check on students, adding that committees consisted of students who would be formed to restrain pupils from engaging in unhealthy and negative activities. She called for elimination of poverty and ignorance which sowed seeds of pessimism in youths and led them to drug addiction. A large number of students and teachers from different departments of the University of Sindh were present in the event. Afterwards, a drug awareness rally was also taken out from the Institute of Commerce and Management, which culminated after arriving at the Central Library of the University.