The National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has sensitized religious leaders with a view to address drug and substance abuse.
Speaking after the forum at the County Commissioners premises, Busia County Coordinator for NACADA Ken Marau, stated that the religious leaders have influence in the society and places of worship thereby making them able to reach many youth.
“We have sensitised the religious leaders on positive parenting so that they can lead by example as they mentor their flock,’ he said adding that religious leaders also need to build structures and be involved in the lives of their children,” he said.
Marau noted that research has shown that 47% of people who do not use drugs because of the effects and dangers they have seen or been told.
He further cited parental restriction as another reason behind a section of youth do not use drugs.
“Once parenting is done well, the parents are available and they are able to provide structures, to protect their children, it will be very easy to protect their children from issues of drugs and alcohol in the society,” he said.
The official at the same time pointed out that the industries that are manufacturing drugs are very much interested with the youth because they are profit oriented and want to capture and enslave the youth at a tender age.
“The more the youth take these drugs, the more profits the industries make and so some of the industries have come up with new attractive ways of drug administration like the tobacco industry has come up with new tobacco products like electronic tobacco delivery system that are flavored to attract the youth,” he explained.
Marau however warned that no matter how flavored these drugs are, the nicotine content can make the youth so addictive and dependent on such drugs.
“The addictive nature of these drugs makes young people to continuously need them hence abusing them,” he said.
He implored the local residents who depend on illicit brews and drugs as a means of earning a living to form groups and apply for government empowerment funds so that they can engage in legal ways of earning a living.
‘We want to urge them to desist from these illicit brews and get to different kinds of businesses that will help them to progress in life away from illicit brews which make them to be at loggerheads with security agencies,’ he said.
Bishop John Okude noted that drug and substance abuse as the cause of poverty among families within the County.
“We are going to train our congregation on the dangers of drug abuse so that the society can be safe,’ he said.
The forum brought together 40 religious leaders drawn from different denominations including the Islamic leaders drawn from the eight Sub Counties within Busia County.
By Salome Alwanda and Rodgers Omondi
