Dubai: The General Directorate for Drug Control in Dubai Police has charted out an awareness plan to heighten school students’ awareness of the risks of drugs and psychotropic substances.
Lt. Colonel Dr Juma Sultan Al Shamsi, Director of the Department of Drug Awareness and Prevention of the General Department of Drugs, said the plan would be implemented over the course of the new academic year and targets about 40 public schools and 120 private ones. He added that coordinators from Dubai Police are in contact with the targeted schools’ coordinators in order to organise awareness lectures and stay in constant touch with them.
“The awareness lectures will be delivered to students via the ‘Distance Learning’ programme through special studios,” Lt. Col. Al Shamsi said, adding that more than 1,034 students benefited from the programme during the first half of the year.
He highlighted that the General Directorate for Drug Control delivered 109 lectures on the evils of drugs in various schools and universities during the first half this year and it also promoted awareness against drugs at more than 67 exhibitions and 12 events.
He referred to the importance of the distance learning programme as it saves time, effort and cost and offers easier access to a broad number of students.
Lt. Col. Al Shamsi stressed the importance of families’ role in monitoring and following up their children’s’ behaviours to detect any negative changes that could occur as a result of taking drugs as well as the role of schools in following up on students and raising awareness about negative behaviours and motivating students though sports and other positive pursuits.
