Substance abuse a concern

DRUG and alcohol abuse are important problems that affect youths at earlier ages than in the past.
Young people frequently begin to experiment with alcohol, tobacco and other drugs during the middle school years, with a smaller number starting during elementary school.
By the time students are in high school, rates of substance abuse are remarkably high.
Marijuana is one of the most abused drugs in Papua New Guinea.
Police reports would see cases involving marijuana toping the weekly crime reports.
There is no secret that this drug has been around in communities and the increase in cases should now be concern.
The rise in the number of users is something the National Narcotics Bureau must tackle with all concerned parties.
Marijuana abusers are becoming liabilities to the nation, their families and communities.
The abusers which are mainly young people are disturbing the peace and solemnity of the many communities when they consume the drug.
Drug use during adolescence – when the brain is still developing – has been proposed as a cause of poorer neurocognitive outcome.
Some people think that since it is legal in some places, it should be safe.
But your body doesn’t know a legal drug from an illegal drug.
It only knows the effect the drug creates once you have taken it. Marijuana, when sold, is a mixture of dried out leaves, stems, flowers and seeds of the hemp plant. It is usually green, brown or grey in colour.
Marijuana abusers are at great risk of damaging their brain cells since the dangerous drug destructs human brain cells.
While the number of people who use marijuana at any one time does not seem to have recently increased, the number of people who have a marijuana-related disorder has risen significantly.
This is more or less true depending on age and ethnic group.
Marijuana is particularly bad for young people with brains that are still in development.
Studies have shown that teens who smoke pot regularly have lower Intelligence quotient (IQs) than their peers.
That is a concern and should be addressed before it takes a rippling effect on the society.
Drug and alcohol abuse are important problems that affect school-age youth at earlier ages than in the past.
Young people frequently begin to experiment with alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs during the middle school years, with a smaller number starting during elementary school.
By the time students are in high school, rates of substance use are remarkably high.
And that is why institutions such as the National Youth Development Authority together with Child Fund PNG are conducting awareness on drug and homebrew. They were at Joyce Bay in Port Moresby with the message on the impact these two substances can have on the brain’s central nervous system of young people.
Messages should focus on promoting awareness that drugs are dangerous, that they do not enhance personal well-being and self-esteem, and that it is possible to deal with daily stress without depending on them.
Different target groups will require different information.
Preventive education should be targeted at families, women, and workers in their workplaces, youth institutions, pupils in school and out-of-school children.
Drug education should form an integral part of the regular school curriculum. A collective effort is required to address this issue.