As part of activities marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse, resident doctors from Neuropsychiatric hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, yesterday embarked on awareness campaign in some secondary schools in Ogun State to sensitize students on the dangers of drug abuse and harmful effects of substance misuse.

 

The President of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Aro, Dr Chidi Ikwumezie, while speaking at Baptist Boys’ High School (BBHS) Oke-Saje, said that the campaign was part of the association’s efforts to prevent intake of harmful substances and curb drug abuse among students.

 

Ikwumezie who spoke on the theme: “Mental Health Awareness And Substance use Prevention Campaign in Secondary Schools”, expressed worry over the prevalence of drugs and harmful substances among secondary schools students in the state.

 

He urged the students to stay away from substances including cocaine, marijuana, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, Ice, crack codeine, morphine, rophynol, pentazocine among others, stressing that such substances would affect their academic performances.

 

“Taking substances can affect the academic performance in student and that is the main reason we are here and apart from this, it can also affect the family of the students taking drugs and the community. And we know where substance taking using start is that second schools and that is why we take our campaign to the school to nip in bud the problem of drug abuse before it affects the academic performance of the students.” he said.

 

The NARD President said that it was imperative for the association to pick secondary schools as campaign points because the students from the age of 10-14 were the most susceptible to taking substance, saying creating awareness would help to reduce the menace and prevent treatment among them.

 

“Drug abuse is that one that starts at a very early age 10-14 now this age bracket is where students try to test the first use of substance and it usually begins in secondary schools and that is why we are targeting that particular age group so that they can be well knowledgeable about drug abuse and its harmful effects before it becomes one we start treating to reduce the boredom of drug abuse and prevalence so that the little resources we have in the country can be used to manage those that are encountering challenges of illness of drug abuse.” he noted.

 

Ikwumezie, however, urged parents and guardians of the students to always educate and monitor the activities of the students so as to prevent them from being influenced or take drug substance that could endanger their lives and future.

 

Earlier, the Principal of BBHS Senior Secondary School, Evangelist Tunde Odeyemi, thanked the doctors for the campaign, but cautioned students against the use of substances, noting that it could negatively impact their academic performance and ruin.

 

One of the students, Quayyum Akinyemi expressed appreciation over the campaign awareness against drug abuse brought to the school, saying the awareness would open the eyes of many students to the dangers inherent in the use of drugs.