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Experts Say Parents Have Crucial Role in Safeguarding Children from Drug Abuse

by Colleen Fleiss on Nov 20 2022 6:26 PM
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Experts Say Parents Have Crucial Role in Safeguarding Children from Drug Abuse
Parents were found to play a key role in safeguarding their children from drug abuse. Minor deviations on the part of their children that parents tend to ignore could lead to serious consequences.
The three-day conclave, had the theme ‘Children Matter - Right to a Drug-free Childhood’ was organized by the Fourth Wave Foundation (FWF) in partnership with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and World Federation Against Drugs (WFAD).

“Family settings are central to defining the trajectories of current and future generations, and parenting education remains a missing link in most youth safeguarding strategies,” said Schlaffer, a top global anti-drug campaigner and founder of ‘Women Without Borders.’

Drug Abuse Prevention Starts with Parents

“It is important to keep in mind that drug abuse is not something that affects your neighbor’s children alone. It could happen in one's own family. The tendency on the part of over-indulgent parents who justify minor deviations of their children is common these days. This is dangerous. Parents have to remain alert about what is going on in one's own home,” Schlaffer added.

In the prevailing family ecosystem, parents should first give up alcoholic drinks and smoking if they want their children to be insulated from drug abuse, said Diana Vincent, Director, Fourth Wave Foundation (FWF).

“Parents are the role model of children up to 10 years of age, at least. If the words and deeds of the parents are at variance, it would confuse the children, and that could have a life-long impact on them,” said Vincent.

Raja Shanmugam from FWF said the age of a child is a sensitive factor which should be taken into serious consideration by the parents.

“The tendency to slip into drug abuse is strong till one turns 24. So, the parents should not approach their children in the same way they treat the grown-ups. In our society, pre-marriage counselling is organized by religious establishments and community outfits. On the same lines, counselling against drug abuse should be planned to root out this danger”, said Shanmugam.

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