Lions Clubs International District 404B2 Nigeria, in collaboration with Select Initiatives, anti-drug abuse advocacy, non-governmental organization, has organized an awareness campaign against drug abuse for the students of Government Technical College, Agidingbin, Ikeja, Lagos State.
Speaking at the event with the theme ‘Share Facts on Drug Abuse, Save Lives’, Kayode Oshunuga, Governor of the district, urged the students not to engage in drug abuse.
He explained that getting into drugs was easy but the consequences were grave and could bring shame and ruin to them and their families.
The District Governor told the students that engaging in drugs could stop them from achieving the goals in life and making them worthless, adding that drugs could mar their careers and potential.
In her welcome address, Folashade Ashafa, the District Committee Chairperson said the country is doing its best to tackle the present menace of Drug Abuse and its resultant effect on Nigerians.
“Even if we don’t want to agree, the actions and reactions of our present-day teenagers and youths is a reality that has come to stay and unless we face it head-on; we may be heading for an unpleasant future for our immediate family, our environment and the society at large.” she asserted.
Ashafa said Lions Clubs International as an organization is here to sensitize teenagers on the dangers of drug abuse and indulging in activities that would jeopardize their future.
“We are committed to making the society safe for us and we will ensure that our future is secured.”
Ashafa encouraged everyone around especially the pupils to kindly adhere to all that was taught and urged them to positively influence their neighbours (friends, classmates, etc). With this, she opined that our society will be better for it.
Also speaking at the event, Pillot Gbolahan, a clinical psychologist at the Yaba Psychiatry Hospital, Lagos State, said that drug abuse has reached pandemic proportions in the country.
Gbolahan said that the abuse cuts across all strata of society, young and old. He disclosed that 85 percent of people with mental issues in the country are within the age bracket of 18 to 39 years and called for measures to be taken to stop young people from accessing hard drugs.
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In his lecture at the event, Sunny Irakpo, an anti-drug abuse advocate, told the students that getting into drugs was easy and cheap and that continuing in the habit is very expensive and life-threatening.
He advised them to be wary of the type of friends they keep, adding that most young people who are into drugs were lured by friends into the habit.
The students pledged not to engage in drug abuse and promised to spread the message among their colleagues in school, neighbours, and friends across the nation.
