ISLAMABAD, June 24: International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking would be observed on Thursday to raise awareness about the increasing number of drug addicts in the world.

APP reports that the theme for this year is ‘let’s talk about drugs’, which underlines the need for children, families, peers, teachers and communities to talk about drug abuse, admit that it is a problem and take responsibility for doing something about it.

According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the support of caring and listening parents has proven to be one of the most important protective factors against drug abuse. “But for many young people around the world who do not have the advantage of a supportive home environment, we all have a special responsibility,” it added.

Civil society organizations would be particularly involved in relating their activities to the celebration of the day, the UNODC said. The day commemorates the signature of the declaration adopted at the International Conference against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in 1987.

Meanwhile, different public and private sector organizations will organize seminars and symposiums highlighting the issues through different perspectives, adds PPI.

Dr Munawar Fayaz, chairman of Sunny Trust which is working to rehabilitate drugs addicts, told this agency that owing to poverty, unemployment and deprivation more and more youth were inclined to drugs.

He said the change in the social set-ups and materialistic behaviours had fuelled the already aggravated situation. The government should take concrete steps to eliminate the problems of unemployment in the country to contain the menace of drug addiction, he added. He contended that his trust had been treating thousands of patients. Currently, there are 100 drug addicts undergoing treatment in the trust’s hospital located at Barakahu.