TIRANA, May 18 /ATA/ – High School students from Orikum, Selenica and Kota gathered Friday in the town of Orikum, Vlora Municipality, to voice their staunch opposition against the cultivation of cannabis and they did so through an awareness-raising artistic performance with the topic “Saying No to Drugs through Art”.
The awareness-raising event was jointly organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania and the local Task Force against the cultivation of cannabis and trafficking of narcotics, with the support of the Municipalities of Vlora and Selenica, the Prefect’s Office and of the participating High Schools.
In a speech delivered at this event, Deputy Head of OSCE Presence in Albania Robert Wilton addressed the young people encouraging them to abstain from drugs and to take over their responsibilities in the fight against cultivation of cannabis and trafficking of narcotics.
“According to the information provided in the latest National Plan against the Cultivation of Cannabis (2017-2020) nearly 7% of youth from 14-19 years old use drugs. There are continuous attempts on the government’s part to address the phenomenon but in final analysis this depends on the individuals, as this is a choice individuals make. And after all this is your own choice. I am not here just to deliver a propaganda message; I am here to motivate you to reflect. I am here, so that you can make up your own mind on this matter. You are smart enough to know what is the truth about drugs, and during today’s performance we will see what your peers think about this issue as well. Drug use causes addiction, addiction causes deeper dependence, it causes poverty, it drives one to engage in criminal activities in order to avoid poverty, and so on,” Wilton said, adding: “The OSCE Presence and Albanian authorities are working side by side in the fight against this phenomenon, but, ultimately, success in this fight depends on the efforts of the younger generation and the choices this age group makes.”
“You yourselves must believe in your future, you yourselves have to assume responsibility for your future; everything depends on you and your choices, and also from your imagination of what that future will be,” he concluded.
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