26 June 2018

For Immediate Release

STATEMENT ON THE OCCASION OF THE 2018 INTERNATIONAL

DAY AGAINST DRUG ABUSE AND ILLICIT TRAFFICKING
(WORLD DRUG DAY CELEBRATION) ON TUESDAY 26 JUNE 2018

Each year, the international community celebrates 26th June as the International
Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (also known as World Drug
Day).
It is a day set aside by the UN to raise awareness about the effects of drug abuse
and illicit trafficking on the individual, community and the world at large. On this day
member states are expected to organise sensitization programmes that will enlighten
the citizenry on the dangers and negative effects of drug abuse and illicit drug
trafficking.

The theme for this year’s World Drug Day is: ‘Listen First-Listening to children
and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe’ a theme
focused on addressing the general concerns of Children and the Youth in the society
as well as throwing more light on parents to take up their full responsibility in helping
shape the lives of our youth.

This year’s celebration would address the need for parents, guardians, and the
community to cultivate the habit of listening to children and youth to be abreast with
their needs, concerns, emotions and all that pertain to their general wellbeing.

In view of this, parents, guardians, clergy and the community are encouraged to
monitor the daily activities of the children; the friends they keep, what they watch on
social media and frequent their schools to ask of the performance and behavior of
their children etc.

When parents and their children become sensitive to each other’s feelings, it will go
a long way to build a mutual trust and confidence leading the children to naturally
preserve their family bonds.

According to the world drug report (UNODC) 2017 about 190,000 people lost
their lives to drug abuse and a higher number of them also suffered from drug
use disorders and its related diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis B &C and
Tuberculosis. Drug trafficking fuels money laundering, terrorism, corruption
and transnational organized crime which has become a problem for the world.

Also, NACOB is cautioning the general public especially the youth about the
excessive abuse of tramadol and cough mixtures containing components of
codeine as they give similar effects of narcotics substance.

NACOB is assuring the general public of its commitment to address the

challenges of drug abuse and illicit trafficking and also to increase awareness
of the need for parents, guardians and the community at large to pay more
attention to the needs of their wards.

SIGNED
Communication and Media Relations Unit
0209123024/0551227720
Email:nacobprotocolgh@gmail.com