DR Rebecca Manford has release a single called ‘say no’ to drugs.
The song which is accompanied by a creative video stresses the importance of ridding society of such misdemeanours. In the song, Zimbabwe’s Dr Manford said as a nation we still have time and opportunity to say no to drugs.
Drug abuse has become a serious challenge among schoolchildren and the youth in general, with devastating consequences such as mental illness or even death. Those exposed to drug and substance abuse become social misfits and engage in such crimes as rape, armed robbery or even murder.
Dr Manford advised and encouraged Zimbabweans (and the whole world) to think deeply about life making the best out of it highlighting that it was important to find someone to talk to instead of taking drugs. Another key point she made was to stop those selling drugs.
Recently there has been reports of cases where teenagers killed their parents while under the influence of drugs and other substances. The problem is real and demands urgent attention Dr Manford said.
Dr Manford says drugs are harmful because they interfere with the brain’s normal function, causing extensive physical, mental, and social damage. This damage can be short-term or long-lasting, leading to chronic health conditions, addiction, and a breakdown of personal life and relationships.
Abusers often justify the use of such drugs as marijuana and substances as high dosage of cough syrups and prescription drugs such as stop pain tablets, as a cushion from poverty, unemployment and other socio-economic challenges.
Some cite broken families or the death of a parent as a reason to resort to drug abuse. But all these reasons are inadmissible. She said there was always solutions to the many challenges in life. Drug abuse only compounds an already bad situation.
Exposure through television, social media and the Internet to foreign cultures where drug abuse is commonplace has had a debilitating effect on the social fabric, exposing our young to such vagaries as dangerous drugs.
Peer pressure has also led to an increase in drug abuse in schools. It is sad to note that children from elite schools top the list of drug and substance abusers.
This is a sad situation that requires families, communities, schools, churches and all members of society to pull together and ensure that the menace is dealt with. Parents need to look after their children and spend time with them so that they can easily detect wayward behaviour.
