EDUCATION, PREVENTION CRUCIAL TO DRUG CONTROL

Saturday marks the 17th International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

Commemorating the day with slogan "Avoid Drugs and Participate in Drug Control," China is sending out a massage that the anti-drug campaign is an all-out war that calls for the mobilization and involvement of every social sector and individual.

Drug abuse, rarely heard of in China when the first such day was observed in 1987, has since become a big social ailment in the country.

Now, with the number of registered drug users exceeding 1 million and 80 per cent of the nation's cities and counties existing with drug problems of varying degrees, China is facing an uphill task.  It is a battle China cannot afford to lose.

Behind the statistics is the reality, the heartbreaking stories of ruined families and lives, distraught relatives and children living in misery, all common consequences of drug abuse.

Not only do drug addicts pay a heavy personal price, the country and society are also burdened, having to pay a huge social costs to maintain drug rehabilitation facilities or set up orphanages, just to name a few of the consequences of drugs.

Drugs have also spawned a host of drug-related crimes ranging from the trafficking of narcotics and robbery to murder, which threaten the very social stability of the nation and endanger public security.

The dire consequences of the drug problem has already spurred the government into action.

However, the soaring number of users and the widespread number of drug-plagued locations illustrate that past anti-drug campaigns were not as effective as first hoped.

Initially, for example, viewing the drug problem as a blemish on the socialist system, the government was shy in promoting public education against drug abuse during its crackdown.

With the problem getting worse, the government is now more open and has introduced various educational projects.

However, in order to contain the swelling of drug abuse, more needs to be done.

In early June, Primer Wen Jiabao paid a visit to a drug rehabilitation facility in Central China's Wuhan, during which time he shook hands and talked with drug users - the first such public gesture by the country's top leader.  It was a sign reaffirming the leadership's resolve to face up to the problem and care for the people who have fallen prey to drugs.

Prevention is the best cure when it comes to drugs given their addictive nature.

As such, more should be done to educate people so they are aware of the outcomes of drugs.  China's youth need the most help.

Temptation to experience drugs was a trap for many addicts, according to a relevant survey.

The prevention strategy does not lessen the importance of the role of rehabilitation in the war against drugs.

In addition to reaching far, anti-drug messages need to be persistent.

In a sense, we should use every day as an opportunity to work toward a drug-free society.