'Anti-drug campaign crucial for the youth'

IT IS important to ensure that society bring up children and youth in a drug-free community, the permanent secretary at the Prime Minister's Office said yesterday.

At the Narcotics Control Bureau exhibition held in line with the International Day Against Abuse and Distribution of Illegal Drugs, Hj Hamdan Hj Abu Bakar, guest of honour at the event, said that according to statistics, 25 per cent of the people in Brunei aged 15 to 25 are drug users. "To achieve the eradication of drugs in this country, it is important to us together to combat this with the involvement of the whole society, the private sector, NGOs, youth associations, chambers of commerce, religious institutions, education institutions and government departments," said the permanent secretary.

He said that 99 per cent of people who receive treatment and rehabilitation from the Al-Islah Rehabilitation Centre are methamphetamine users, while arrests made in relation to the methamphetamine drug made up around 85 per cent of drug arrests.

"We also have to be proactive with cannabis users because there has been a rise of cannabis users since 2010. As much as 6.3kg has been seized in 2010, which has been the highest since the last five years," said Hj Hamdan.

The permanent secretary also said that glue sniffing and other types of intoxicating substances that have been abused must also be taken into concern because the arrests made towards on these have been among students. "Long term effects towards glue sniffing or other types of intoxicating substances would cause mental damage to the brain and may contribute to death," Hj Hamdan pointed out, adding that there was a need to plan and conduct joint activities during the campaign leading to a life without drugs.

The NCB exhibition was to enhance national security and public awareness in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking.

In his welcoming remark, NCB's Hj Abdul Aziz OKMB Hj Othman stated that the NCB has picked the theme "Together Toward a Drug-Free Workplace" because he said that "one does not need drugs to achieve high productivity, no matter in terms of work or in everyday life". The event led off to a video presentation and the guest of honour proceeded to tour the exhibition booths on display for the public to spread the awareness of International Day against Abuse and Distribution of Illegal Drugs. Wardi Buntar

The Brunei Times