A meeting with teenagers dedicated to drug prevention among young people took place in Almaty. At the community center, participants discussed the reasons why young people start using drugs and ways to prevent it, reports infohub.kz.
The event was held in the format of an open dialogue. Among the participants were former deputy and director of the information resource center Altynay Kobeeva, narcologist Dina Yertai, writer and political scientist Beknur Kiskov, as well as representatives of Almaty's youth. The speakers shared personal experiences and cases from their practice related to drug addiction, and expressed their views on possible preventive measures.
Altynay Kobeeva emphasized the importance of involving teenagers in sports, creative activities, science, and other developmental pursuits that foster a healthy social circle. "We understand that risks are growing year by year. Preventive talks are constantly held in schools and universities. From a parent's perspective, it's important that the child is occupied with something. Throughout my career, I have always noticed that when a teenager is busy with something useful, they have no time to end up in an unfavorable environment. Their social circle changes too. If a person is engaged in something useful and developmental from childhood, the likelihood of them taking an interest in drugs is much lower," noted the former deputy.
Separately, participants discussed the need to create more social videos and involve bloggers and celebrities in this work, who can effectively convey information to a wide audience.
Similar meetings are currently being held in all districts of Almaty. Later, proposals will be brought to a large round table where officials and law enforcement officers will join the discussion. Possible changes in legislation will also be considered, including the recent proposal by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to decriminalize the possession and use of drugs without the intent to sell.
It is important to remember that drug addiction is a disease, and one of the serious problems associated with it remains stigmatization. Society often "writes off" people struggling with addiction, which can lead to further isolation and a sense of hopelessness. The true causes of drug addiction are often concealed: depression, lack of life prospects, and societal pressure on the individual.
Earlier it was reported that the number of officially registered drug addicts in Almaty is declining. Currently, 1,148 people are under the supervision of narcologists, which is 2% less than a year earlier.