Ismaili community on anti-drug abuse drive
Dar es Salaam. In expanding the community core values on civic engagement and promotion of good behaviour, members of the Ismaili Community in Tanzania has stressed the importance of spreading education on drug abuse.
This was said yesterday as members of the community, both adults and young people, visited a recovery house, the Drug Abuse Prevention Organisation (Dapo) here to gain knowledge on the preventive measures, treatment and process of recovery.
The chairperson of National Rehab Committee under the Aga Khan Ismaili Committee under the Aga Khan Ismaili youth and sports portifolio, Ms Nasim Kassam, said the group members also presented the facility with essential goods as donation.
“We have collected donations from different members and we are going to give them some groceries, food, cloths shoes and many other things,” she said.
Ms Kassam said the Global Ismaili Civic initiative was successfully launched in 2020 in response to His Highness The Aga Khan’s desire that Ismaili civic reflects the community’s ethic of civic engagement, service good citizenship, exemplifying Islam’s core values service, peace, compassion and care for the vulnerable.
Speaking to The Citizen, Dapo’s managing director Surah Nyembo said the facility’s message was always of hope, providing knowledge on prevention, treatment and recovery services to drug abusers and addicts.
He said the facility also cooperates with the government as from time to time they use local public hospitals to help survivors on the detoxification stage.
“We also link addicts with mental issues to psychological specialists so that they can also get the good mental health they need,” he said.
“In terms of spreading awareness and knowledge, the staff from the facility also visit public and private schools to provide education to young generations,” he said.
Mr Nyembo said there are four classes of drugs that are abused by people named depressant, stimulants, hallucinogens and inhalants.
The first group of drugs are the depressants, which are drugs that lower neurotransmission levels, depress or reduce arousal or stimulation, in various areas of the brain.
The second group are stimulants. These drugs affect the central nervous system and increase alertness, attention, energy, blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate like cocaine, alcohol and gut, he says.
“Hallucinogens, which are the third class, are drugs that alter the thinking processes and the perception of those who take them. These include marijiuana,” said Mr Nyembo.
The forth are inhalants, which are common household, industrial and medical products that produce vapours, which some people inhale to make them feel high and these include glue, gas, gasoline, petrol to mention but a few.
Mr Nyembo said considering the social, economical and health effects that drugs have on people, they always call for parents and young people on having open communication as well as communities education and knowledge sharing on issues related to drug abuse.
