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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1991
NEW TEACHING KIT TO REINFORCE DRUG EDUCATION
A NEW COMPREHENSIVE DRUG EDUCATION TEACHING KIT WILL BB RELEASED LATER THIS MONTH TO PROVIDE LOCAL SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT DRUGS.
THE TEACHING KIT WILL ALSO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM OF DRUG ABUSE AND THUS DEVELOP APPROPRIATE ATTITUDES AND SKILLS TO FIGHT AGAINST IT.
THE PRINCIPAL INFORMATION OFFICER OF THE NARCOTICS DIVISION, GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, MR AUGUSTINE POON, TOLD A LARGE GROUP OF PARTICIPANTS AT THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION IN SCHOOLS HELD IN BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA THIS TODAY (TUESDAY).
THE CONFERENCE, WHICH IS ATTENDED BY MORE THAN 300 PARTICIPANTS FROM 23 COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES, BEGAN YESTERDAY (MONDAY) AND WILL LAST UNTIL FRIDAY.
MR POON SAID IN DEVELOPING THE KIT, EVERY EFFORT HAD BEEN MÅDE TO DRAW UPON RESEARCH INTO WHAT WOULD CONSTITUTE EFFECTIVE DRUG EDUCATION; AND. WHAT WOULD RESULT IN POSITIVE GAINS IN KNOWLEDGE BY YOUNGSTERS, CHANGES IN THEIR ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR IN RESPECT OF DRUGS AND DRUG-TAKING.
"THE OLD METHOD OF DRUG EDUCATION, WHERE INFORMATION ON THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF DRUGS WAS GIVEN TO YOUNG PEOPLE IN A PASSIVE MANNER, WAS AT BEST INEFFECTIVE AND POSSIBLY EVEN COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE: IT MAY HAVE ACTUALLY INCREASED DEMAND BY RAISING YOUNGSTERS' CURIOSITY ABOUT DRUGS.
"THE MODEL DRUG EDUCATION UPON WHICH THE NEW TEACHING KIT 19 BASED HAS THE PRINCIPAL FOCUS ON PEOPLE AND THEIR REASONS FOR TAKING DRUGS," HE SAID.
BY EXAMINING THESE REASONS, FOR EXAMPLE, TO "LOOK OLDER" OR TO "FIT IT", MR POON SAID ONE COULD UNDERSTAND BETTER THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE ABUSER, THE SUBSTANCE(S) AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
"THE KIT IS DESIGNED TO DEAL IN A ROUNDED AND BALANCED WAY WITH. THE ISSUES SURROUNDING DRUG-TAKING, AND TO MAKE STUDENTS AWARE THAT IN ORDER TO PRODUCE CHANGES IN DRUG-RELATED BEHAVIOUR, THEY MAY HAVE TO BEGIN TO RE-THINK OTHER ASPECTS OF THEIR LIFESTYLE, ་། MR POON SAID.
HE SAID IT WAS THEIR HOPE THAT THE KIT WOULD ACHIEVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT GOALS.
OF SOME
NEVER
"WE HOPE THAT IT WILL RAISE THE YOUNGSTERS' AWARENESS OF THE DANGERS OF DRUGS AND HELP THEM REALISE THAT THEY SHOULD TRY DRUGS.
/"WE ALSO