By a Staff Reporter
Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a condition that affects a person’s brain and behavioural patterns leading to the inability to control the use of legal or illegal drugs or medicine.
The most common substances include alcohol, Marijuana, and nicotine which are all considered drugs prone to addiction.
In many parts of the world, countries are taking stringent measures to mitigate the impact of drugs particularly Cannabis Sativa also known as Marijuana which is one of the most commonly used drugs among young people.
Globally, nearly 30 countries around the world have decriminalised cannabis Sativa for medicinal purposes but in The Gambia, officials are putting up strategies to reform drug laws that impose prison sentences on users.
This two-day synergy organised by Students for Sensible Drug Policy in collaboration with West Africa Drug Policy Network is working closely with Civil Society Organisations to chart a way forward in the fight against drugs.
The founder of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Karamo Conteh revealed the fundamental objective of the foundation which he said aimed at finding lasting solutions to the use and trafficking of illicit drugs.
Mr. Conteh reassured his organization’s commitment to engaging relevant stakeholders to chart a way forward to the problem.
Partnering with the West Africa Drug Policy Network with support from Africa’s Open Society Forum, the foundation has been working with partners to find solutions to the current trend of drug use among young people.
Expounding on the way forward to address the situation, the Interim Executive Director of West Africa Drug Policy Network, Prince Bull Luseni called for the participation of Civil Society Organisations in the crusade to find a lasting solution to the drug menace affecting young people across the region, while outlining the human right-based approach taken by the regional network to address the situation.
At the end of the two-day forum, officials will submit their findings and recommendations to relevant state authorities for action.