WE ARE VULNERABLE TO NARCOTICS - SCHOOL CHILDREN (FRONT PAGE, JUNE 29, 2011)

A NUMBER of school children in Tamale have stated that they are vulnerable to the use of narcotics, following the failure of state institutions to prohibit public smoking.
They said they could not comprehend how the youth were expected to stay clear of narcotics, like tobacco smoking, whiles adults were permitted to smoke in the full view of the public.
The school children raised these concerns at the public symposia in Tamale to mark the World Drugs Day, which was celebrated globally on June 26, 2011.
The symposia, organised by the Narcotics Control Board, was held on the theme ‘Be smart to be healthy – Don’t do drugs’.
School children and teachers from a number of selected basic and second-cycle schools participated in the event.
“If cigarette smoking is dangerous, why do people smoke in public and nothing is done to stop them,” one of the students queried during question time.
Aside the issue of public smoking, the children also raised eyebrows about the failure of state security institutions to prevent the transit of drugs in and out of the country.
A member of the governing Board of the Narcotics Control Board and Acting Deputy Chief Executive for Drugs at the Food and Drugs Board, Mrs Akua Owusua Amartey however cautioned the students not to allow the fact that others smoke to sway them into using drugs.
“You must remain guided by the fact that drug abusers are exposed to a lot of health hazards, including mental illness, which you don’t want to get into,” she stated.
Mrs Amartey also entreated the students not to allow themselves to be used by drug dealers in couriering drugs, since that had health and other implications.
“If you swallow pellets of cocaine, you are likely to end up dead and if you survive, you are more likely to end up behind prison bars,” she said.
In a speech delivered on his behalf, the Interior Minister, Mr Benjamin Kumbour said the government was resourcing security agencies and institutions to tighten efforts towards curbing drug trafficking.
He said a draft legislation designed to amend the existing legislation on narcotics control was currently being assessed by the Attorney General.
Mr Kumbour noted that this new legislation, when passed into law, will make NACOB an independent institution and institute tighter sanctions for drug peddlers.
The law, he additionally mentioned, will also conform to modern trends of law enforcement and international best practice on drug control.
A member of the Council of State, Kpan-Naa Mohammed Bawa entreated heads of schools to use Monday morning assembly meetings to sensitise the students and teacher on pertinent issues such as drug abuse.
“You can just use 10 minutes of the assembly time to help your students become better people by showing them how to avoid the things in life that could endanger their future,” he stated.
Some of the students, who spoke to the Daily Graphic, entreated the government to fast-track the passage of the law that would ban public smoking.
A message was read on behalf of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon on the importance of the day.