Prevention of Drug Abuse Among the Youth

By Tamera Psenjen

There are different reasons as to why the youth engage in drug abuse. Some of the reasons are for recreation, to escape reality, to suppress their emotions, and to fit in. When using for fun, it’s because they need to reach a certain level of high to release their inhibitions and have extra fun. To escape reality, they use drugs to take them to another dimension where they can forget their problems and just be happy. To fit in, they use because their peers do and they want to be accepted and have a circle of friends. 

They are not ignorant. They know which drugs to use to achieve their desired effect, from staying up, to sleeping, to being happy, and other effects. NACADA needs to find a substitute for these drugs because surely, drugs cannot be the only way to achieve those effects. The youth can participate in different activities that take up their time, instead of engaging in drug abuse. 

Physical outdoor activities could be a good start, as well as mental health seminars and webinars. NACADA should facilitate hikes, walks, and such activities to engage the youth in wholesome activities. This would help them both physically and mentally. They would also be too exhausted to engage in those activities after.
They should also host competitions where people showcase their talents. This would drawn in a large crowd of the youth. A cash prize also would not hurt. Having mentors who have gone through addiction and recovered brings realism into the picture, and could be a great force to push them away from drugs.

The heart of the issue is finding another high that does not include drugs. NACADA can offer different highs, from education to empowerment. The most important thing is that the individual chooses not to go down the path of drug abuse.