THE PROBLEMS OF DRUG ABUSE, COPING SKILLS AND OUR WORKING FRAMEWORK

Being a paper presented by Aguiyi Henry, at the passing out ceremony and certificates presentation to the outgoing members of the NDLEA/NYSC-CDS Drug Free Club kaltungo, in Kaltungo LGA , July 2014

Good morning ladies and gentlemen, my brothers and sisters, the theme of my topic today is:
The Problems of Drug Abuse, Coping skills and our working framework to achieve a drug free society within kaltungo and its environs.
Is obvious that every person everywhere wants to know more on how drugs abuse affects the entire society and how to cope with its numerous problems.

 On this very note, we are going to briefly discuss on the problems of drug abuse and their effects to our larger societies
Drug problem everywhere is a global menace that is now affecting our entire societies, of which Nigeria is not an exception, this problem cut cross every aspect of our human endeavors and civilization both in the politics, the economy and health areas as well.

The problems cut across every sector of our society and every aspect of our lives and their social, economic and political consequences are too numerous to ignore, for today, it is a common knowledge that most of our national socio-political cum economic problems, are all drug related. From the increase in crime level, daylight armed robberies, cultism in our secondary schools and universities, down to prostitutions and spread of HIV and other STDs, high rate of divorce and delinquent children ,high rate of school dropouts and destitution on our streets are mostly drug-related, loss of jobs and skilled manpower, low productivity and poverty could occur due to drug abuse, political thuggery plus motivated assassinations, arson ,kidnapping and hostages taking and economic sabotage etc. they are often perpetrated under the influence of drugs.

Based on the above details, the international communities through different conventions both acts and numerous treaties has propounded several ways on how best to combat this very problem called drug abuse and trafficking, which led to the then Nigerian military Government headed by General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida to enact Decree 48 0f 1989 which established the NATIONAL DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY (NDLEA) charged with the dual responsibility of reducing the supply of and Demand for narcotic drugs and other psychotropic substances with the aim purpose to expunge drugs of abuse out from our entail societies.


THE TWO KEY MEASURES NDLEA EMPLOYS TO TACKLE THE DRUG PROBLEMS ARE:
1. Supply control measures:
2. Demand Reduction Programmes:
Under the demand Reduction programmes, we develop the various ways one can avoid engaging in drug abuse and its numerous problems, for example the coping skills

SOME OF THE COPING SKILLS
1. Arm yourself with information about drugs and drug abuse.
2. be assertive while saying ‘NO’.
3. Change the subject.
4. Suggest alternative activities.
5. Ignore the person.
6. Simply walk away.
7. Be involved in hobbies or positive pastimes.
8. Get involved in religious activities.
9. Avoid situation or places where drugs are used.
10. Avoid people who use drugs
11. Build self-esteem. Know your positive qualities and depend on these when under stress.
12. Be committed to academic/school activities or your work if a worker.
13. Obey rules and regulations in the school, home or work place.
14. When in problem, confide in your parents, teacher, religious leader, or a trusted adult.
15. Use your understanding of drugs to help your peers, and others around you, avoid and resist drugs.
16. Encourage those using drugs to seek help.
17. Report those using or selling drugs to parents, school authorities or law enforcement officials.

The only way we can comfortably achieve the above facts, is through massive enlightenment and campaign, but with our major constraint of manpower in reaching out to every person in these our very environment, with our enlightenment message of saying NO TO DRUGS, we now do find it most befitting's to partner with you, the NYSC -CDS Drug Free Club to develop a more workable strategy that will help NDLEA to reach out to every member of the society through public enlightenment on the dangers of the illicit drug of abuse, to our youths and educating them on its effects to his or her individual self and to our the larger society as a whole.
Our area command in-line with the NDLEA mission Statement which emphasis that NDLEA shall deploy all resources at its disposal for the total eradication of illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, suppression of demand for illicit drugs and other substance of abuse, recovery of ill-gotten wealth acquired from proceeds of illicit drug trade, protection, enhancement and maintenance of the image of Nigerians at home and abroad.
In order to be in-line with the above mission statements and its goals ,the NDLEA kaltungo area Command has of resent time push for an agenda for the total eradication of illicit dealing , usage and abuse on two front of interdictions and drug demand reduction as the job demands ,
NDLEA Kaltungo Area Command comprises four local government areas are here officially partnering with you the NYSC –CDS Drug Free Club to achieve some of these listed objectives, especially on the areas of reducing the overall domestic demand for illicit drugs, providing factual information to all and sundry (especially those in the high risk group) on problems of drug abuse and trafficking and to teach them personal stills needed to avoid drug abuse etc.

For us to achieve some of these objectives ,we the command has develop some certain workable plans as a way forward in making Kaltungo and environ a drug free societies by the year 2015.
Planning:

Our planning is in two forms

• Strategic planning.
• Operational planning

Our Strategic plans is to achieve zero drug society through massive awareness by the year 2015
While our operational plans for now is to take the fight against illicit drug to all the schools within the four local government areas that made up Kaltungo area command and as well establish Drug Free Clubs within those schools, the effective vehicles to use to achieve this very noble mission with good timing and better efficacy , is to use the NYSC-CDS Drug Free Club as the means to reach to those schools effectively and to serve as communication mechanism between the Agency and the schools, at the same time enable us to achieve our set out objectives.

This operational plans is simply the means we are going to use to meet up with our broad objectives in terms of implementations of our ideal task, which will involves two methodological approach of single-use plan and multiple-standing plan that we intended using to achieve our major task of making all Kaltungo Area Command and environ an illicit drug free zone, and at the same time achieve efficiencies and effectiveness in our working approach.

Here, our single-use plan ,which we intend to use to achieve our major objective is to source for sponsorship for our set out projects which must be dissolved after serving its purpose, while the multiple-standing plan is to develop some standard aiding materials in form of handbooks on illicit drug offences , its effects, coping skill and the consequences of engaging in drugs of abuse, of which the books will be handed over to you, our trained NYSC-CDS Drug Free Club corps members as an aiding instructional tools, that you will be using in impacting and educating the young people on the dangers of illicit drugs.

With these very plans on ground, Our organization and NYSC Drug free club will soon achieve a Drug Free Society here in kaltungo, so am charging every one of you from today, to go out there with all zealousness and preach out this very good message of saying´´ NO to Drug abuse´´ to everyone you get across to, may God bless us all.

 Thank you all.
From the Desk of Aguiyi Henry