Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week

By Bebot Villar

 

IT was gratifying to see an overwhelming response from the citizenry of Dagupan City sa ating panawagan para sa kanilang pakiki-isa sa kampanya laban sa illegal drugs.

I saw this during the kick-off activities for the celebration of this year’s Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week, which was held in the city last Monday when some 15,000 students, professionals, teachers and other sectors, joined the four-kilometer “Walk of Hope in the Fight Against Drug Abuse.”

Nakakataba talaga ng puso because it just shows that in Dagupan, napakarami nating kaalyado laban sa mga ipinagbabawal na gamot! It is a reflection of the leadership ni Mayor Belen Fernandez at ang kanyang determinasyon na burahin ang illegal drugs sa lungsod! Maraming salamat, Mayor Belen!

This was the first time that we held the kick-off activity for the celebration outside of Metro Manila. Hopefully, tuloy-tuloy ang support ng mga mamamayan so we can protect and save more for our youths against the ill effects of illegal drugs.

Katulad nga ng palagi kong sinasabi, the war against illegal drugs is a community effort!

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I was asked by media if the government is winning the war against illegal drugs. Siyempre, ang sagot natin ay “Oo!”

Bilang patunay, the incidence of drug abuse has been decreasing over the past decade.

Last 2002, there were as many as 9.3 million drug users. Bumaba ito sa 6.7 million noong 2004, and in 2008, meron na lamang only 1.7 million drug users sa ating bansa. In 2012, studies show there were only 1.3 million illegal drug users na lang.

It’s still a big number which is why hindi tayo dapat magwalang-bahala. Marami pa rin ang nagbebenta ng droga this is why patuloy pa rin at lalo pa nating pinaiigting ang ating campaign against illegal drugs.

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Dumadagundong ang Stadia Convention Center noong Lunes as the students shouted “No to marijuana legalization!” Ito ang isa sa naging highlights ng Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week kick off activity.

Again, we should oppose the legalization of marijuana, even if they say that it will be for medical use and it will be controlled.

How can you control it in our country? Sige, granting na may medical use iyan at hindi puwedeng ibenta kung walang prescription, manatili kayang ganyan? Maipatupad kaya iyan? Ngayon na nga lang, sa mga botika, iyong mga controlled drugs tulad ng Valium, may nakakakuha pa rin at nilalaklak. What more with marijuana? Sisirain lang po talaga ang ating mga kabataan!

Masaya rin tayo sa naging suporta ni Mayor Belen Fernandez laban sa legalization ng marijuana. Sabi nga niya sa kanyang speech, “We will not allow recreational drug abuse, or for any other purposes, here in Dagupan. In Dagupan, we say ‘No to marijuana legalization!’”

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Still on the Drug Prevention and Control Week, I’d like to thank my partner sa K-17 program “Deretsahan”, si Atty. Gonzalo Duque, for his suggestion to involve students enrolled sa National Service Training Program (NSTP).

To ensure its success, the Dangerous Drugs Board, City Government of Dagupan at Lyceum Northwestern University organized one trainors’ training on drug education for NSTP implementers sa buong Region 1.

Topics included in the training were: Salient features of R. A . 9165; medical and psycho-social aspects of drug abuse and its implications; drug abuse prevention concepts and approaches; program of instruction of NSTP; delivery Mode of program of instruction and, action planning on drug abuse prevention.

Napaka-timely ng pag-involve sa mga college students dahil sila ang mga pangunahing targets ng mga drug pushers. With their allowance, madali silang ma-engganyo na subukan ang illegal drugs.

Through NSTP, magiging pananggalang nila laban sa mga magtatangkang mabenta o magpatikim sa kanila. Above all, they can help educate and influence their friends about illegal drugs.

Maraming salamat, Atty. Gonz!

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Patuloy po sa pagdami ng mga text messages at tawag na aking natatanggap hinggil sa aming Deretsahan sa K-17 Kabaleyan Channel. Salamat po sa inyong pagsubaybay. Sana patuloy ninyong panoorin ang aming program every Saturday, 9-10 a.m.!

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