Drug Prevention Unit prepares for January observance of Drug Awareness Month

The National Drug Prevention Unit is gearing up to observe Drug Awareness Month in January under the theme ‘Responsibility: the key to being drug free.’

Director of the National Drug Abuse Prevention Unit Jacinta Bannis said a number of activities have been planned, commencing with a meeting with various stakeholders at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

According to Bannis, the new health minister is also expected to deliver an address on Tuesday to officially commence the observance.

On Wednesday and Thursday the unit intends to hold an exhibition on the ground floor of the government headquarters, while on Friday a grand book launching is being organized. Market activities in Portsmouth, Mahaut and Roseau along with messages to the churches will also form part of the activities, Bannis said.

During the month, the Drug Abuse Prevention Unit  intends to close a prison programme and hold video discussions.

“We are hoping to target three communities to educate them on the ills of Drugs … We also want to do a book drive for the Dominica State Prison so that the inmates can read when they are bored,” Bannis added.

Meanwhile, workplaces have also been targeted where employees could educate themselves about the ills of drug abuse and how it could affect the work place.

Other activities planned include the education of young drivers on the abuse of drugs and alcohol. According to Bannis, the traffic police will also work in close collaboration for that project.

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3 Comments

  1. JewlerAZonq
    March 1, 2011

    Interestingly, very much

  2. Ghetto-Yut!
    December 31, 2009

    Most of the guys that are on the block all day are unemployed, low ambition people. They may be smoking, or using harder drugs. But there personality hasn’t changed, not with or without smoking.

    On the other hand, there are we ghetto yuts that hold down a serious 9-5 job, help our peoples, develope ourselves, but yet enjoy a good drink and/or smoke.

    This drug war is being fought upside down. I have been taught that to kill a snake, you cut off its head. For years , only the tail is being beaten and jailed.

    We the poor people of Dominica cannot bring in cocaine, extacy, heroine, etc. We plant herb, or buy herb, but smoke just herb!

    My contribution is not to promote blazing, but to keep the powers that be focused on the prize: go after the heads!!! Save our children. Dominica needs more than sensitization campaigns- go after the heads!

    From the ghetto,

    Keep it real

  3. Eustace
    December 30, 2009

    While, we are planning the obsaervance of these activities, I believe it would be a good time, to examine the way we accept the existence of drug activities within our communities and indeed our entire nation. The existence of these individuals continue to cause negative effects on our society. We see our young men being killed on the seas, I was told that about 10 young men from the Newtown area have lost there lives on the seas. All our young men sit by the side of the road and smoke whole daay, while the young women go to school; many of the the paros are male, and our violent crimes are usually related to drug abuse, sale or trafficing. Dominicans it is time to get out from our slumber and deal with these issues, and please dont blame it on government. We are all responsible. Our drug lord are allowed to roam the streets like kings buying properties, and owning cars, maintaining communities, and no body says anything, if I go to a bank with money, I have to declare all my means of earning this money. these people buy cars build houses, nobody says anything, and sadly our young people celebrate these people and want to be like them. unless laws are enacted or implemented to manage these persons, we will see more and more what St lucia is dealiing with now. So much less money would have to be spent to provide care for these persons. I guess it is not polically expedient to deal with thes issues, as politicans are suppported by these persons, or those persons who have fallen prey to the ill effects of the trade are fed and cared for by others. Wake up Dominicans and support the anti drug movement lead by Jacinta.
    PS, I am sure there will be negative comments to follow, but look even the children of the powerful…are involved look at a DNO article above, it is reaching closer to home. If I am lying then tell me so, but look at your communities and villages to see who are the beneficiaries of the trade and those who ultimately suffer

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