The Drug Abuse Prevention Unit says alcoholism is the biggest concern facing the unit at this time as they prepare to host Drug Abuse Prevention month.
That’s according to Coordinator of the Unit, Jacinta Bannis.
She said in an interview with DNO, that they plan to hold a workshop soon geared at tackling the problem.
‘We are starting with the workshop with the Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) teachers and then to begin to look at policy formulation in terms of alcohol’. She stated.
Bannis also said that advertising of alcohol is posing a more difficult problem for the unit.
‘we have seen too much advertising of alcohol on the television and I don’t see anything nutritional … its alarming that’s what influence our young people and even the way it is being advertised. In the long run it’s going to be a burden on the health sector’.
Activities planned for the month include four school rallies in Calibishie, Marigot, Laplaine and Pointe Mitchel; a candle light vigil at Coulibistrie and drug exhibitions at Dominica State college and Marigot.
The launch of the Drug Information Network (DIN), and a prison study on the relationship between drugs and crime and a walk against drugs are also on the programme of activities.
The Drug Information Network (DIN) report is a drug observatory where all the information from the prison, Acute Psychiatric Unit, Hospital and from the police is gathered and placed in a report.
Drug Awareness Month will run from the 2nd of January to the 2nd of February 2013.
