The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : It’s time you said no to drugs

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Friday, Jun 27, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

It’s time you said no to drugs

International Day Against Drugs observed; schoolchildren take out rally

PHOTO: NAGARA GOPAL

For a better future: Youngsters display a poster against drug abuse at a rally taken out in city on Thursday. -

HYDERABAD: ‘No Place for Drugs’ was the catchphrase among hundreds of schoolchildren, who observed ‘International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’ on Thursday.

They took oath to fight the blight of drugs, sang songs against the social evil and took out a huge rally from Amberpet to Golnaka and back, amidst anti-drug slogans.

“Do Drugs Control Your Life? Your Community? No place for drugs”, was this year’s theme for International Day against drugs. The anti-drugs day programme was organised by district health officials, A.P. State AIDS Control Society (APSACS), police and NGOs at Amberpet.

“People in the productive age group of 15-45 are falling prey to drugs. It’s your responsibility to say no to drugs and also help your friends to stay away from drugs. There should be no place for drugs in the society and a lot depends on you,” said Additional CP (Traffic) V.S.K. Kaumudi in his message to youngsters. District Medical and Health Officer Dr. Ch. Jaya Kumari, who presided over the programme, said that drug abuse is becoming common among migrant labour. “We have 17 rehab centres and we are trying our best to use these facilities to help drug abusers. We are open to work closely with NGOs to run such rehabs. However, prevention is always better than cure and that’s why there is a need to concentrate on youngsters,” she said.

APSACS Joint Director Dr. S. Rajamouli said that that centres exclusively meant for addicts would be set up Hyderabad. “In association with NGOs we would set up such centres to help persons to get over the habit of sharing needles, which is becoming a major cause of HIV infection,” Dr. Rajamouli said.

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