By Thomas Scaria
Mangaluru: A group of students has used “social media” to reach out to thousands of people with awareness on the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
The students joined a “100-program Challenge” launched June 26 by Ecolink Institute of Well-being, a Mangaluru-based NGO involved in training addiction professionals globally.
The program was part of the efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to spreading awareness on drug abuse.
“Share Facts on Drugs, Save Lives,’ was the theme declared by the UN body for the year which called for the “use of social media” to reach out to people as the pandemic restricted movements.
A World Drug Report released by the UNODC on June 24 has noted an increasing number of substance users around the globe, especially those with the use of cannabis and prescription drugs. Cannabis is mostly known as ganja and hashish in India.
In surveys of health professionals across 77 countries, 42 percent asserted that cannabis use has increased, compared to opioids and cocaine. A rise in the non-medical use of pharmaceutical drugs has also been observed during the same period.
“Around 275 million people used drugs worldwide in the last year, while over 36 million people suffered from drug use disorders,” according to a press release issued by UNODC.
The increasing number of Drug users in the world has also necessitated the need for more addiction professionals to serve globally.
The campaign was initiated by the students of the Institute in their respective countries and through social media.
The activities included designing and posting posters in social media, publishing of articles in magazines and newspapers, creating and uploading educational videos, hosting webinars, giving psycho education, community awareness programs, panel discussions, poetry, and visits to rehabilitation centers.
When the majority used social media platforms, a few activists such as Margarete K Julius from Nigeria conducted more than 10 programs among various religious communities to mark the International Drug awareness day, in response to Ecolink’s call.
Margarete is also an award winner from the World Health Organisation for her works among youths in her African nation.
V Thirumagal, the trainer of the UTC Course on Substance Use Disorder, says the main objectives of the training is to form qualified and dedicated addiction professionals who will lead Drug Demand Reduction programs in their communities.
Grant Sanders from South Africa, who serve in a Rehab in Hong Kong, found it “very fulfilling” to join the campaign as part of 100 program challenge in drug prevention.
Ronnie Thomas, the secretary of the Institute who compiled the reports and photos of the events, said the pandemic situation has aggravated drug abuse around the world. But at the same time, it has opened up the possibilities for online training and counseling services also through virtual platforms.
While the impact of Covid-19 on drug challenges is not yet fully known, the world drug report observed that the pandemic has brought increasing economic hardship that is likely to lead to illicit drug cultivation and marketing.