Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant has cautioned youth to refrain from falling prey to drugs. On the occasion of World Drug Day, a 40-minute Konkani film ‘Kalkhi Vaat’ by Jyoti Kunkolienkar, was premiered. The film financed by the Social Welfare Ministry, Government of Goa; endeavours to create awareness about the damage done by drugs.
The Chief Minister appealed to the youth not to resort to drugs in any form as the bad habit wrecks life and alerted them to stay away from peddlers who could tempt with lure of money. Once trapped, these youths languish in jails, he said.
Dr Sawant also highlighted the efforts going in to rehabilitating the addicts.
The theme for 2024 ‘International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’ is “The evidence is clear: invest in prevention”.
According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), this year’s World Drug Day is a call to:
• Raise awareness: Increase understanding of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of evidence-based prevention strategies, emphasizing their impact on mitigating the harms of drug use.
• Advocate for investment: Encourage greater investment in prevention efforts by governments, policymakers, and law enforcement professionals, highlighting the long-term benefits of early intervention and prevention.
• Empower communities: Equip communities with the tools and resources to implement evidence-based prevention initiatives, fostering resilience against drug use and promoting community-led solutions.
• Facilitate dialogue and collaboration: Promote dialogue and collaboration between stakeholders to enhance evidence-based prevention practices and policies, fostering a supportive environment for knowledge sharing and innovation.
• Promote evidence-based policymaking: Advocate for evidence-based policymaking at the national and international levels, ensuring that drug policies are grounded in scientific research and informed by best practices.
• Engage communities: Raise awareness about the importance of community engagement and participation in designing and implementing effective drug prevention programs, empowering communities to take ownership of prevention efforts.
• Empower youth: Provide youth with the knowledge, skills, and resources to become agents of change in their communities, advocating for drug prevention initiatives and amplifying their voices in the conversation.
• Promote international cooperation: Foster international cooperation and collaboration among governments, organizations, and communities to develop and implement evidence-based strategies for combating drug trafficking and organized crime, recognizing the global nature of the drug problem and the need for coordinated action.
