The Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) is encouraging parents and guardians to cultivate the habit of listening to children and the youth as a whole so that they can be abreast with their needs, concerns, emotions and their wellbeing.

In a statement issued to commemorate the World Drug Day Celebration, NACOB stated that parents, guardians, as well as the clergy, are to constantly monitor the daily activities of children, the friends they keep, what they watch and frequent their schools to ask of their performance and behaviour.

According to the statement, “When parents and their children become sensitive to each other’s feelings, it will go a long way to build a mutual trust and confidence leading the children to naturally preserve their family bonds.”

The 2017 report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reveals, “190,000 people lost their lives to drug abuse and a higher number of them also suffered from drug use disorders and its related diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis B & C and Tuberculosis. Drug trafficking fuels money laundering, terrorism, corruption and transnational organized crime which has become a problem for the world.”

NACOB is, therefore, cautioning the general public especially the youth about the excessive abuse of tramadol and cough mixtures containing components of codeine as they give similar effects of narcotics substance.

NACOB has also assured the general public of its commitment to address the challenges of drug abuse and illicit trafficking and also to increase awareness of the need for guardians and the community at large to pay more attention to the needs of their wards.

This years ‘International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’ or ‘World Drug Day’ is being celebrated on the theme “Listen First-Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe."

The theme is focused on addressing the general concerns of children and the youth in society as well as highlighting the need for parents to take up their full responsibilities in helping shape the lives of their children.

Below is the full statement