Sunday, January 15, 2012
Page 16 YOUTH
It is no accident that this bill has been pushed forward. It was in the mid-70s when in the Netherlands, at a time when a large anti-war movement was flooding the streets of the capital, it was decided to decriminalize drugs. Today Amsterdam has become a center of the international drug trade and one of the most crime-ridden cities in the world. The experience of such dangerous policies leaves no room for fairy tales, as their results where implemented are criminal.
“The highest percentage of daily cannabis users is recorded in the Netherlands (80%) ” (EMCDDA Annual Report 2004).
” The Swiss student population ranks third and the Netherlands fifth in Europe in the use of illegal substances ” (Pan-European Survey “ESPAD” 2007 on substance use in the student population).
The Dutch model increased drug addicts by 44% in its 6 years of implementation. In August 2004, “the Dutch government recognizes that ‘cannabis is not harmless’ neither to users nor to society, coffee shops (places where cannabis is legally sold and permitted to be used) ‘are not without responsibility’ and intends reduce their number near schools. It is even considering abolishing the experiment ” (Annual Report of the UN International Narcotics Control Commission 2005).
” 1/4 of Europe’s addicts seek rehab from cannabis, which is the second most abused substance after heroin ” (EMCDDA Annual Report 2009).
” Cannabis is associated with an increased number of emergency hospital admissions, its use is associated with an increased risk of psychotic disorders and schizophrenia ” (UN Annual Report 2008).
” The systematic use of cannabis in adolescence may have negative consequences for mental health during young adulthood, as there is evidence of an increased risk of psychotic symptoms and disorders, which increases with frequency of use” (EMCDDA Annual Report 2009) .
Immediate mobilization of parents, teachers and friends
Sunday, October 16, 2011
“STROFI” has been operating since 1988, it is aimed at 13 – 21 year olds, as it was estimated that teenagers with the special characteristics of their age are a high risk group. For the cases of children whose families come from the region or who have no family, there is the hostel. There are currently 10 children being accommodated. There is also a guesthouse for parents from the countryside, today families from Crete, Kalymnos, Cyprus are hosted, as working with the family is important. Dozens of children have already gone through the program turning their lives around and today they study, work, have families.
“In recent years there has been a change in relation to the role of the family and the mobilization of the teenager. In the past there was no negotiation or tolerance on the part of the family. When the family realized that the child was being used, they did not negotiate, they immediately took him to a program. Today there is a tendency for parents to start worrying when things have already gotten serious. Hashish is very widespread and is now considered, especially among young people, “harmless, innocent” etc. The point is not to switch the child to heroin. Parents must intervene in time, asking for help and save a situation. From our data we see that it can take 3-4 years of use for a child to enter treatment. These are precious years, because the child can get involved in many substances, in delinquencies, drop out of school ,” says K. Skordogianni. And he continues: ” The work in schools is very important. In previous years we made updates following requests from parent associations. In recent years there has been a decrease in requests, because a tolerance is created in society, it seems to have become familiar with the problem. Every drug has its consequences. Parents, teachers, friends must mobilize immediately.” Everything is dangerous
“What do ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ drugs mean? My own child from “soft” and “harmless” was seriously endangered. For the “soft” I found myself where I am. There is nothing innocent and harmless, everything is dangerous. A 12-year-old – my son’s age when he got involved with drugs – what ability does he have to judge the dangers of his actions? 15 days ago I heard a politician say that the only way to deal with drugs is to completely free them. Such things are criminal. We all know very well what interests they serve. I am sending a message to all parents: Mobilize. Things are not innocent”, says Dimitris, president of the “STROFIS” Family Association.
” They want spoiled children, harmless, without goals. Hermia. How can they want them? to care? come forward and claim things? No ! In the Association we found a home and support. When we first came everything was difficult and mixed up in our heads, we found a way with the staff to put some order in our thinking and really see the problem. My child came at the age of 15.5 years. Now I’m proud to see it. The workers come here in the morning and leave in the evening, they spend the weekends with our children. We see them everywhere with our children. They are heart relationships now, pieces of our soul ,” notes Theodora, mother, member of the Family Association.
“They should be hiring to expand this project and instead they are expanding the use because it brings profits financially, ideologically. They want the opium religion of the people . When I came I thought that my son is sick and someone will work his magic with a nice treatment and after 2-3 days everything would be fine and we would leave… Passing through here a lot of things have changed than I thought and assumptions. The user is not sick. Use is the symptom of a sick society. Everyone can become addicted. How will he get well on methadone? A person cannot depend on substances for their existence”, notes Dimitris and concludes: ” If someone thinks that they can take the youth, one of the strongest parts of society, and throw them away, they are deluding themselves. We will prevent it. We do not consider our children “burnt paper”. Humanity has a future”…
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