​2012-06-12: Joburg embarks on Drugs Awareness Campaign

THE City of Johannesburg will embark on substance abuse awareness campaign as part of the youth month commemorations.

The City's Public Safety Youth Development Focal Point in collaboration with the Department of Housing Youth Focal Point, the UN Breweries and the Liquor

Board are organizing a drug and alcohol awareness campaign for unemployed and out of school youth to celebrate you month.

The substance awareness Campaign, which starts on 14 June 2012 at 10h00 at Ekhaya Centre, Diepkloof Zone 4 in Soweto, will target areas such as Alexandra,

Hillbrow, Riverlea and Ivory Park.

The campaign supports the City of Johannesburg's Youth Development Strategy, which includes health promotion and positive interventions to reach young

people involved in drugs and alcohol or at risk of being drawn into the lifestyle. It also put into effects the objectives of the Joburg 2040 of creating

safe, secure and resilient communities.

It also aimed at reducing the number of emergency calls received by the Johannesburg Emergency Management Services and the Johannesburg Metro Police

Departments for incidents and accidents happening as a result of the abuse of alcohol and drug.

Substance abuse problem manifests itself in many ways:

Teenagers begin to succumb to peer pressure to experiment with drugs at a young age.
Drug dealers sell drugs to vulnerable groups such as children and minors.
HIV and AIDS often transmitted through sharing of needles and drug abuse.
Drugs and alcohol abuse affects the entire spectrum of our society from our very affluent communities to the poorest of the poor.

Amongst the most commonly drugs used by youth in Johannesburg includes dagga, cocaine, nyaope, crack, codeine, ecstasy, heroin and mandrax.

For more information contact:
Nkosinathi Nkabinde
Communication Specialist
City of Johannesburg Group Communication & Tourism Department
Tel: (011) 407 - 6477
Cell: 083 408 7787
E-mail: nkosinathin@joburg.org.za