NGO attributes depression among youths to hard drugs

A non-governmental organization, Come Alive Initiative, has attributed the upsurge in depression cases among youths to abuse of hard drugs and over dependence on intoxicating drugs.

The group has embarked on sensitisation and mobilisation programme on the dangers of youth involvement in drug abuse and trafficking in hard drugs.

The NGO’s National Coordinator, Mr. Victor Enwezor, told newsmen yesterday in Enugu that communities must take up the responsibility of mentoring youths in the right way.

Enwezor said that to check the acts of suicide, arson, violent crimes and violence against women in form of rape, there should be concerted efforts to stop the youths from using hard drugs.

According to him, it is on record that the use of hard drugs is the number one cause of youth involvement in suicide, arson, violent crimes as well as violence against women worldwide.

“Where a youth thinks using hard drugs could create an escape route from his or her immediate challenges; the challenges are still there when the effect of the hard drug clears off.

“While in most communities today, you see hard drug users coming together easily to become a network of friends, which promotes extremism and violent crimes in these rural communities.

“And most communities and institutions are not thinking along this direction; which portends danger for all in the near future if an urgent and concerted effort is not taken,’’ Enwezor said.

The coordinator said that youths remained the focus of the NGO with emphasis on catch-them-young.

He noted that youths would be used as foot-soldiers in the campaign against drug abuse and trafficking.

The NGO had successfully rehabilitated more than 20 hard drug dependent youths in Anambra, while another 10 are currently undergoing rehabilitation programme.

The NGO is also conducting rehabilitation for some drug addicts in conjunction with the Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry (CADAM) of Redeemed Christian Church of God in Lagos.