The manager of the National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) has urged communities to create a supportive, non-judgmental environment for those struggling with drug addiction.
Speaking at a church service marking Drug Awareness Month at the Silver Sands Church of God, Betty Hunte emphasised the changing face of addiction and made an ardent plea to foster an environment where people feel supported and not judged.
With residents from the treatment programmes at Verdun and Marina House in attendance, she said: “Communities, including churches and other faith-based institutions, can play a vital role by creating awareness while families must be encouraged to have open conversations without fear of stigma.”
Hunte sought to dismiss myths about what someone who suffers from drug addiction looks like. “We tend to think of those persons who we see rummaging around in the rubbish bins and panhandling and so on,” she said. “But I want to share with you that we have seen the face of drug addiction change over the years.
Minister Wilfred Abrahams delivered remarks during the service to observe Drug Awareness Month.
“The NCSA has had to find ways to respond to everybody who seeks our services. We had to find different ways to spread our message before it became necessary to seek our services and in doing so, we have now developed a suite of programmes which we can offer electronically or in person.”
Recognising the widespread impact of drug abuse, Hunte said: “We have to ensure that more systems are put in place to mitigate the harms caused not only at the individual level but also in wider society.
“Research carried out by our agency points to an increasing acceptance of the recreational use of some drugs, even the normalisation of substance abuse in some circles make it seem harmless when it is anything but. We therefore as a society have responsibility to put adequate systems in place as we seek to embrace these new paradigms as a society.”
She advised: “Recovery is possible, for anyone struggling, know that help exists and taking that first step towards change is a sign of courage not weakness.”
Wilfred Abrahams, minister of home affairs and information, highlighted three keywords in his remarks that are pivotal in combating the issue of drug addiction: “Confront, Collaborate, and Communicate.”
He said: “This year’s theme of strengthening prevention builds on last year’s efforts. We are taking deliberate action this year to involve multiple stakeholders in this massive response. We recognise that no single agency can tackle substance use and abuse alone.”
Betty Hunte, Manager of the National Council on Substance Abuse. (Photos by: STT)
Verdun and Marina House will be teaming up with NCSA to host joint and complementary activities.
“These activities will educate about the dangers of illicit drug use, the real challenges to recovery and the immense joy of witnessing individuals successfully overcoming these challenges and reintegrate back into society,” Abrahams said.
“The church, the congregation and community groups have a role to play in identifying issues, joining as part of the fights against substance abuse and helping in the creation of policies. It is critically important that we reinforce education and advocacy about substance abuse at every level and across all sectors nationally.”
He continued: “While change will not happen overnight, we can begin to see incremental progress if we recognise that drug abuse is a significant public health issue that requires targeted approaches rather than simply relying on what has traditionally applied, which is seeing drug abuse as a criminal matter only, requiring only the criminal justice system response.”
Advocating for continued collaboration, he said: “When we combine our strengths, we amplify our impacts.”
Abrahams called for new policies that unite law enforcement and treatment efforts to work together more effectively over extended periods. (STT)
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