USE OF ILLICIT DRUGS CAN NEGATIVELY AFFECT FUTURE- SAYS OKEMUTE
As Ika Grammar School Class Of 1996 Campaign Against Drugs Abuse
The Consultant of Mental Health Physician, Central Hospital, Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta state, Dr. Munu Okemute Julius, has charged youths to the desist from abusing drugs and to shun the use of illicit drugs.
Dr. Okemute, gave this charge on Tuesday, October, 10th 2023, at Ika Grammar School, IGS, during the Mental Health Sensitisation campaign of Ika Grammar Old Boys Class of 1996, to all the secondary schools within Ika Federal Constituency, noting that drug abuse and the use of illicit drugs can negatively affects the future and can as well lead to the loss of sanity.
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He pointed out factors responsible for the quest to engage in the use of drugs to include; poor parenting, peer pressure, poverty, environment and so many other reasons, maintaining that anyone who is a drug dependent finds it difficult to have control of themselves.
Continuing, the Consultant noted that persons who are engage in the use of drugs are believed to have disease of the brain, disclosing that drugs dependent are sometimes aggressive as it affects their ability of making good judgement of situations.
According to him, “We should encourage them with good treatment and counseling to enable them come out of it rather than calling them names and stigmatizing them.
“We should help by informing them about the side effects of these substances. Do not let friends choose you, rather you should choose your friends and whatever skills you have acquire, make good use of it to develop yourself and the society.
“If you are deeply rooted in the system and you need help, talk to a mental health physician or someone whom you trust,” he said.
The physician called on all who drug dependents to shun the act, urging that our mental health should not be taken for granted.
In an interview with our correspondent, the president of IGS Class 1996, who is a consultant with Federal Medical Center, Asaba, Dr. Christopher Otene, noted that the programme was necessitated due to the ravaging issues of drugs especially amongst youths.
He noted that the group feels sad that most youths are losing or have lost their sanity, saying that the young generations whom he said are supposed to be future leaders are going astray and as such needs to be brought back to order. He urged all to desist from the use of illicit drug.
The Chairman of the Campaign programme, who is a plastic surgeon and the President of IGS Class 1986, Cletus Otene, said campaign against drug is necessary for the sanity of the present generations to be intact, reiterating that the need for all to shun the use of illicit drug cannot be over.