National Narcotics Control Bureau

Parenting for Prevention

A child comes to this world innocent. It’s the society and environment that transforms him into what he ultimately becomes: A responsible citizen who is an asset to himself and to the nation, or an irresponsible person who is of no use either to himself or others.

In early life parents play the lead role in molding children’s behavior. In the modern world parents must learn the basic skills of being a parent before they get children. One of the most important skills is communication with the children.

A young person, who communicates well with their parents and is given a chance to overcome their difficulties themselves, will stand better chance of coping with life than the young person who is over protected or the young person who is left without any guidance.

THE SIGNS OF DRUG USE

A child under the influence of drugs may have various symptoms, depending on the substance. But for all drugs, you are likely to observe slurred or incoherent speech, memory lapses, and indifference to hygiene and grooming.

THINGS PARENTS CAN DO ABOUT DRUG ABUSE

Help a child build confidence by

Help them to feel good about themselves – praise them when they do well and build up their confidence when they find the gong tough
Encourage them to be responsible for their own actions – trust them
Try not to talk down to your children. Maybe they have seen you smoke or doing other undesirable things
Listen to them – show that you care. Show them you understand how they feel and what their real problem is in making decisions on how to behave.
Spend time together - make your children feel an important part of the family.
Provide leadership - if children are to learn to set limits on their own behavior they need guidelines from you.
Encourage them to say “no” to drug offers.
Know the facts about drugs. Inventing dangers that don’t exist won't help, but providing information on the real dangers of drug use will.

TALKING TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT DRUGS

Telling scary stories about drugs often increases curiosity and can inspire “thrill seeking”. Forbidding the use of drugs may prompt your child to challenge your authority – and experiment.

Try to keep discussion friendly and honest. There are no “winners” or “losers” in this sort of talk, but rather two people who respect and care for each other. Your aim is to point out your concern for their well – being.

RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM

Personal problems usually lie behind drug problems. Unusual and inexperienced behavior persisting for some time, such as

- wild swings in mood, from being explosive to being depressed

- reputedly staying out overnight, or very late

- the dropping of school activities, especially sports

- marks droppings, absenteeism increase

- Breaking off friendships for no reason could indicate a personal or drug problem. Either needs your attention

The Challenge

Illicit drugs are a global impediment to the social and economic development of nations. The impact of the drug scourge has been particularly severe on the Maldives, threatening her prosperity, good health, and indeed her whole future.

In the past decade we have intensified our efforts to stop the drug menace. But we, as a nation, need to do even more to ensure that criminals, who put their own interests before those of the nation, do not take our common heritage away from us.

The lesson we learn from other countries is that drug abuse is a hydra-like multifaceted issue. It requires a balanced well-coordinated multi-sectoral approach, encompassing measures to stop illicit drugs from entering the country and to reduce the demand for them. Both these aspects are equally important and need to be given the same, high priority.

We, therefore, call upon all Maldivians, as indeed the international community, to support fully our efforts to eliminate the scourge of illicit drugs from the Maldives and beyond our borders. This is the challenge and we must commit ourselves to this challenge.