Bangkok holds seminar for community anti-drugs networks

[Lite Beer]

Bangkok holds seminar for community anti-drugs networks

BANGKOK, 16 May 2015 (NNT) – The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has held seminar to exchange the practices anti-drugs volunteer networks in communities, to raise the public awareness and participation in solving drug issues in local areas.

The Advisor to Governor of Bangkok Vichai Sangparpai presided over the first practices exchange for anti-drugs volunteer in communities, with 9 representatives from eastern Bangkok districts participating at the Chaleena hotel, Wang Thonglang district, Bangkok.

He said that narcotics are one of the catalysts of social issues. Statistics show that Thailand currently houses 1.2 million drug users. The cost of drugs could be as high as 70,000 million baht per year in total, excluding costs of rehabilitation, suppression operations, and prison upkeep.

Drugs are the cause of various common criminal activities, such as robbery. Children as young as nine are exposed to drug abuse. All parties must join hands to solve this issue. Families, schools and the community are the closest institutions to help prevent drug abuse.

The advisor has said that the BMA has devised a strategy that will be implemented at schools, communities, and establishments, that will utilize an active role of volunteers in raising public awareness.

The seminar also featured training on how to maintain the security of lives and belongings, the inspection for drug users’ appearances, and self defense from the various threats, as well an opinion gathering activity on the future proceedings of the volunteers.

-- NNT 2015-05-16

[Dannyboy666]

Unfortunately there are more than a million addicts in Thailand, How about a Proactive Rehabilitation Program instead of Inprisonment, and show ASEAN Countries How to treat Addicts, instead of filling prisons and when released reoffending...

[Lupatria]

Thailand currently houses 1.2 million drug users

Interesting to see the exaggerated numbers of tourists given by the TAT, and the understated number of drug users here. Maybe its not a bad idea to create an exchange program of the ​statistician to get to the real figures.

[Yunla]

Addiction is a personal health issue, and needs to be treated the same as other personal health issues, with rehabilitative treatment.

Similarly, we are educated in childhood about ways to avoid injury, in ways such as safely crossing the road, or not running downstairs. We are educated on these things at an early age, to prevent us getting serious health problems later in life. Addiction is no different, children need to be educated properly on the dangers of addiction, in order to prevent serious health problems later in life.

"Just say no" never really worked in the 20th century, and what is needed in the Digital Age is a barrage of facts which children and young adults can learn, real facts about the dangers of addiction, including the invisible hidden dangers that exist in many so-called harmless and even legal substances.

Children and young adults like to hear the full story, they are very perceptive and they realise when they're being short-changed on facts. Just telling them to say 'no' was a big fail. We should teach children all the genuinely disturbing facts about addiction, after which they will feel very inclined to avoid addiction, and do this of their own volition.

[The manic]

Recreational use of drugs has always been feature of human existence. Punishing people for this bait right is new. The war on drugs is a war on the people and their freedom of choice.