A team of final-year students studying in the department of education at the University of Ghana have undertaken an advocacy project against drug abuse as part of their academic requirements, with a particular emphasis on its effects on student development.
As part of their initiative, the team organized a seminar on June 28, 2024, on the theme, “Effects of Drug Abuse on Cognitive, Affective, and Psychomotor Development of Students” under the supervision of Dr. Cecilia-Tutu Danquah.
In an interview with Univers News, team leader Seidu Rashid explained that their decision to focus on drug abuse was driven by its prevalent impact on contemporary society.
“Our motivation for choosing this topic on drug abuse is because we’ve noticed its prevalence in contemporary society. We believe this is something that shouldn’t be accepted in our society today.”
The team pledged to extend their anti-drug abuse efforts beyond their academic project.
“We can assure the entire student body on campus, as well as the general populace within the country, that the team will undertake pragmatic advocacies that are even bigger and more impactful than today’s efforts to tackle this cancer facing our society”.
During the seminar, guest speaker Mr. Kushtain Aburof Mustapa, who is also an advocate against drug abuse, highlighted peer pressure as a leading cause of addiction, supported by extensive research.
He called for the need to educate young people to navigate peer influences and make informed decisions alluding to drug use.
“Research and conferences consistently show that peer pressure plays a pivotal role in drug abuse. Young people often lack critical life skills, including how to choose friends wisely. They need guidance on identifying genuine friendships and understanding whom to trust. This knowledge empowers them to make better choices”.
Also attending the seminar as a panellist, Maradona Yeboah Adjei, popularly known as Guru NKZ emphasized the importance of young people contemplating their aspirations before making decisions.
According to Guru, the youth should be mindful of the long-term effects of their choices on drug use rather than just the immediate satisfaction they might bring.
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Story by: Abdul Wahab | universnews.ug.edu.gh
