Drug abuse among students is an imperative issue globally, impacting health, academics, and personal development of the youth and school-going children. Educating and creating awareness among students about the harmful effects of drugs and empowering them with resistance skills is crucial in combating this problem.
To build an effective, transformational training program for college and school students to prevent, educate, spread awareness, the Telangana state government, to make Hyderabad a safe city, came up with a life skill training program, a school-based comprehensive curriculum for students, for the prevention of drug abuse.
KENNEDY HIGH the global school actively participated in the joint efforts and initiated an anti-drug committee and training program for prevention and awareness program for the students. Under this program, students took a pledge to a drug-free school community. The main objective of the anti-drug committee is to spread awareness, educate students of the harmful impact of drugs and teach them resistance skills, prevent succumbing to peer pressure and ultimately falling into a rabbit hole of addiction.
Students as anti-drug ambassadors were selected from each section from Class VII-XII/ grade 7th to A Level. Students underwent a series of sessions and were educated on different types of drugs, the effects of alcohol and cigarettes, harmful effects on the body, signs and symptoms and ways to resist peer pressure. Students were also trained in creating supportive networks as a safety net and identifying people whom they trust and approach who can guide students facing difficult situations and not falling into unhealthy ways of coping and positive ways day to-day stress and academic pressure. These sessions were conducted by the school Counsellor, under the guidance of Principal Ms. Rajyalaxmi Bhat, ably assisted by the Anti-drug committee trained teachers.
The major causes, like availability drugs, peer pressure, academic and family issues were identified as the hidden causes of drug abuse. Harmful effects on the physical and mental health as well as social relationships were discussed. Resistance skills like refusal skills and assertiveness were discussed with case studies, along with decision-making strategies to empower students to say “no” to drugs confidently.
Students were guided on how to get the right information from the right sources, approaching anti-drug committee members for further intervention and also trained on maintaining confidentiality to create a supportive and non-judgmental environment in the school.