Wednesday 26/06/2024 – 22:34 WORLD AGAINST DRUG DAY
Against the current, with your head up! Think, act, live without drugs!” was the call of the KNE, which yesterday, on the day of the World Anti-Drug Day , organized an open debate in the theater of the May Day square in the Field of Areos, with intense interest and questions from students and other young people.
It is worth noting that the venue of the event was really abandoned and the KNE members cleaned it, painted it and decorated it with the slogans of the Anti-Drug Organization , while at the same time circulating the announcement of the KNE on the World Day, a questionnaire that was particularly aimed at to the students on the subject, as well as stickers to spread widely the message and attitude of life promoted by KNE: “We say NO to all drugs! It is not an “act of reaction”, but an act of submission to what we live and do not like. It’s not freedom to “do whatever you want with your body” and self-destruct because you can’t “have whatever you want” in your life. The attitude of resistance to what you live is to hold life in your hands, not to surrender it! Do not compromise! Claim the life we deserve in the 21st century!”.
The opening of the event was made by Eva Tigiri, head of the Committee of the CS of the KNE against Drugs and Addictions. Among other things he pointed out:
“For us, the fight against drugs is not about one day in a year. All the action of the KNE where the youth lives, is educated and works is a strong countervailing force against the tolerance, the use, the resignation that the system cultivates. And it could not be otherwise, since the KNE collides daily with the system of exploitation, with capitalism.
With everything it gives birth to and reproduces: Insecurity, unemployment, accuracy, racism, problems in interpersonal relationships, war, poverty. And while all these dead ends seem insurmountable, drug use seems like a substitute for everything the system is missing.
Of course, we are watching the developments on the front of drugs and other addictions, the whole plan to “liberate” all drugs, with cannabis at the forefront, the elaborated intervention to strengthen the tolerance especially of the youth.
But at the same time we intervene and insist “with knowledge but also with a fighting attitude” to spoil their plans. (…) And that is why throughout the country we are opening up the debate, but also strengthening the common collective action against what burns the soul, the mind, the life of young people. This action is the best antidote to the poison of the system.”
He then presented data from Greece but also worldwide on the increase in use quantitatively and from younger ages, on the system’s attempt to cultivate tolerance towards cannabis, as well as on the effects of its use, on the dead ends it creates and cultivates the system in youth. And he ended with the call of the KNE: “In their rotten system that suffocates you, raise your stature, learn to win!” Hold life in your hands, don’t give it up.”
Rich discussion
This was followed by questions from the audience about whether all drugs are the same, cannabis, its effects but also its different commercial uses, policies to deal with the problem. Panagiotis Katifes, sociologist and head of the Department of the Central Committee of the KKE against Drugs and Addictions, and Lemonia Fakarou, psychologist and member of the Board of Directors of the KETHEA Workers’ Association, answered them by opening a discussion with the audience.
When asked about occasional use and “controlling the substance”, L. Fakarou said that even heavily addicted people believe for a long time that they control it. ” The addict believes for a long time that he is in control of the substance while he has lost control of his life, work, finances, health, etc. And here comes the KNE and says keep your head clear to think… “ , he emphasized.
Regarding the issue with the other commercial uses of cannabis, L. Fakarou pointed out that there is a tendency, based on an unscientific division, to “elasticize” the legal framework to make it a legal commodity, essentially “to market the whole plant as medicine!” . He also spoke about the effects of cannabis use and its relationship with psychotic and other problems.
Regarding the separation of drugs, P. Katifes emphasized that what is not separated, however, are the causes that lead to them, and the therapist is interested in the cause that has pushed a young person to drugs. He added that hard – soft was an ideology of the previous decade, as now we have gone to the “functional – non-functional” user. He also underlined that “against the option of fleeing there is another path, there is a way out”.
“We want to overthrow the system and to overthrow it we need clear minds, clear consciences, because we will take it to the end, they will not take us to the end!” he emphasized.
The appointment of young people has been renewed for the events of the 50th KNE Festival – “Guide” in the next few days, the Festival which, as noted, is a consistently welcoming space for the communities and groups fighting this great fight against drugs.
On the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Pope Francis says it is a “moral duty” to stop the production and trafficking of drugs and calls for prevention efforts.
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
“Having known so many tragic stories of drug addicts and their families, I am convinced that it is a moral duty to end the production and trafficking of these dangerous substances.”
Pope Francis stressed this during his weekly General Audience in the Vatican on Wednesday morning, which falls today on the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1987.
This year’s theme is ‘The evidence is clear: Invest in prevention.’
The Holy Father began by reiterating that drug use impoverishes communities, and that even if every addict has a unique story and has dignity as a child of God, that, regardless, drug use inflicts grave harm on every level of society.
‘Cannot be indifferent’
The Holy Father said we cannot ignore the evil intentions and actions of drug dealers and traffickers, and observed that “a reduction in drug addiction is not achieved by liberalizing drug use, as has been proposed, or already implemented, in some countries.”
“Faced with the tragic situation of drug addiction of millions of people around the world, faced with the scandal of the illicit production and trafficking of such drugs,” the Pope demanded, “we cannot be indifferent.”
In this sense, he called for action, and also doing so by imitating Jesus’ loving example.
“In the style of His closeness,” he said, “we too are called to act, to pause before situations of fragility and pain, to know how to listen to the cry of loneliness and anguish, to stoop to lift up and bring back to life those who fall into the slavery of drugs.”
‘Traffickers of death’
“How many traffickers of death there are, driven by the logic of power and money at any cost!” Pope Francis decried, saying, “this scourge, which produces violence and sows suffering and death, demands an act of courage from society as a whole.”
“This scourge, which produces violence and sows suffering and death, demands an act of courage from society as a whole.”
Drug production and trafficking, he also observed, likewise have a destructive impact on the environment, citing the effect on the Amazon as an example.
Prevention, closeness, efforts
Given all of this, Pope Francis called for countering drug abuse and trafficking “through prevention,” which, he insisted, “is done by promoting greater justice, educating young people in values that build personal and community life, accompanying those in need, and giving hope for the future.”
The Holy Father recalled his visits during Apostolic Journeys to recovery communities inspired by the Gospel, and called them “a strong and hopeful witness to the commitment of priests, consecrated men and women, and lay people to put into practice the parable of the Good Samaritan.”
With this memory, he said, “I am comforted by the efforts undertaken by various Bishops’ Conferences to promote just legislation and policies regarding the treatment of people addicted to drug use, and prevention to stop this scourge.”
“I am comforted by the efforts undertaken by various Bishops’ Conferences to promote just legislation and policies regarding the treatment of people addicted to drug use, and prevention to stop this scourge”
Pope Francis concluded by urging Christians and church communities, on this International Day, to pray for this intention and renew their commitment.
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Newsessentials Blog 
Posted on June 26, 2024
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