LIFE Reform Chairman Philip Drayton said teenagers, if empowered with the tools necessary to make assertive decisions, can effect real transformation.

Drayton made the comment at the commencement of the Secondary School Drug Education and Prevention Programme (SSDEPP) in the Georgetown district.

He said the SSDEPP is a systematic approach to tackle the use and misuse of drugs and alcohol, specifically among youths. Life Reform has made several attempts over the years to address these problems. However, they found that their previous strategy was not working, since mood and mind-altering substances are still ravaging the youths in the education system.

“So we implemented a much more systematic approach, dealing with it from different levels – the PTA, then teachers, then the prefects — who are like the police for the schools — and then the students. The programme sets out to highlight attitudes, knowledge and coping life and refusal skills, which is very vital,” Drayton said.

An alarming number of youths under age 17 are using illicit drugs. Drayton cited two cases: one where a 15-year-old overdosed on ecstasy and was later hospitalised and two, a young man was found with narcotics in school.

Drayton said as part of their strategy, they also looked at the causal factors of the students using drugs, and noted that based on their findings, the leading causes are social problems.

“The risk factors at home are crazy. It’s something that stems from the community aspect of things, and these students use these drugs because of that instant gratification they feel. Wanting to feel it is not the problem, it’s the methods in which individuals are choosing to do such is. So we just need to equip them with the right tools necessary,” Drayton pointed out.

He added: “There are various ways that persons can feel blissed out. You don’t need any external chemicals to be put within the system to make this a reality. One of the most fundamental stuff that persons have employed is dancing. Dancing is a great way for members of society to express both thoughts and emotions, so that they don’t have to pick up any mood and mind-altering substances to do such. Poetry, singing, sports, these are appropriate life and coping skills that persons could implement, that youths need to utilise.”

There is also the issue where parents are users. This poses a challenge for the organisation.

“What persons need to recognise and understand is that the human system cannot differentiate if the mood and mind-altering substances are being used for recreational purposes, medicinal purposes or spiritual purposes. What the system does is simple: just consume and it shows you consequences, especially in the bodies of our youths,” Drayton emphasised.

He added: “What we must ensure is that our youths are one step better than us in many ways, and the most fundamental tool to make this a reality is that they need the opportunity to conduct life more cognitively, more consciously. And if elders are turning a blind eye to what is happening as it relates to narcotics within our educational institutions, we are going to put them at a disadvantage.

And in Life Reform’s humble opinion, this is a crime against humanity. This must not happen, so Life Reform has taken up this initiative to see how best we can transform lives here in Guyana. And our youths are the most vulnerable group and they are our future,” he further stated.

The organisation has received permission from the Ministry of Education to go to all schools in Guyana. They have started with the Georgetown district which comprises 32 schools, and so far the programme is being implemented in St Joseph High School, St John’s College, Christ Church Secondary, Richard Ishmael Secondary and Tutorial High School. They have also visited a few out-of-town schools and youth groups to do outreach work and spread awareness.

“Most of these schools we have done interventions from the PTA aspect of things. How freely we get to work on the timetable will determine how fast we will finish at a school. But we already did interventions with all the head teachers in Georgetown and they have recognised and understand how to spot substance users and misusers within their schools… our goal is to curb the percentage of this misuse,” Drayton said.