Fighting Drug Addiction: Let Us Not Lose a Generation
Author: Huseyin Zorkun — F4Media.az special correspondent for Turkey
Mehmet Huseyin Zorkun4 min read
Author: Huseyin Zorkun — F4Media.az special correspondent for Turkey
Drugs are not merely a substance that destroys a person's health. They are a serious social problem that disrupts the peace of families, shatters parents' hopes and puts children's future at risk. To stay silent in the face of this threat today means facing even heavier consequences tomorrow. Because what is at stake is not only our youth, but the future of society.
One of the most dangerous aspects of the drug trade is the recruitment of children and young people into this dark world. Criminal groups drag them into this swamp, sometimes exploiting friendships, sometimes promises of money, and sometimes young people's sense of curiosity and belonging.
An even more troubling point is that children are drawn not only into drug use, but also into selling drugs. Criminals who use children as intermediaries for their own profit put the future of an entire generation at risk. As a result, children become victims of addiction, exploitation and a criminal environment.
So what are we doing? Will we act only after a child's life has been destroyed? No! The fight must begin before the danger arises, not after a tragedy occurs.
In this regard, the first responsibility falls on families. Parents must not be content with meeting only their children's material needs; they must also pay attention to their children's circle of friends, behaviour and psychological state. The key issue is not to keep children under pressure, but to create a reliable family environment in which they can comfortably share their problems.
Schools also play an important role in the fight against drugs. Teachers must identify changes in students in time, refer children at risk to the appropriate support services and cooperate with families. Security measures around schools must be strengthened, and sustained coordination among the relevant institutions must be ensured. At the same time, children's rights and the inviolability of their personal lives must be protected.
Law enforcement operations against drug traffickers are of great importance. But the fight must not be limited to detaining street dealers. The networks behind the drug trade must be investigated, criminal revenues must be traced, and sustained measures must be taken to prevent children from falling under the influence of these groups.
On the other hand, it is not right to treat every child who uses drugs as a criminal. Many of these children may need protection, psychological support and professional help. Treatment, rehabilitation and opportunities to return to education must be expanded, and saving children must be one of the main priorities in the fight against those who exploit them.
Because timely attention, correct guidance and professional support can change a person's life. A young person we fail to help today may face even heavier problems tomorrow.
The fight against drugs is the shared responsibility not only of the police and gendarmerie, but also of families, teachers, health workers, local government bodies, civil society and the media. The media's task is not only to report events, but also to raise public awareness, draw attention to the danger and keep solutions on the agenda. At the same time, children's identity and personal lives must be protected.
The success of the fight must not be measured only by the amount of drugs seized and the operations conducted. Children protected from drugs, young people brought into treatment and people reconnected to life are also indicators of this success.
We must leave behind the era of talking more and taking fewer measures. We must make schools safe, educate families, strengthen treatment and rehabilitation opportunities, and wage a determined fight against the criminal networks behind the drug trade.
Let us not forget that if drug traffickers target our children's future, our duty is to protect that future. Preventing one more child from falling into this swamp, bringing one young person back to life and saving one family from tears is the responsibility of us all.
Because saving a generation begins with saving one child. Every child lost in the fight against drugs is a wound for all of us. Let us not stand by and watch these wounds grow!
