PRAWA Enugu has conducted an interactive seminar for the students of Doyen Academy, Emene, a school of preliminary studies. The seminar which was held at Doyen Academy classroom on the 3rd of August, 2013 had Sixty eight (68) students in attendance. The seminar aimed at teaching the students the hazards of using drugs and total non-participation in any form of drugs, which causes diseases to human health and enable them live longer and healthy. Part 1 of the seminar dealt on the introduction and the health hazards these drugs cause while the second part was an interactive session.

The lecture on “Illicit Drugs and Drug Abuse” with specific interest on alcohol, cigarette and marijuana was developed and delivered by PRAWA program officer, Pharm. Nonso Maduka who took the students through theory and practical demonstration of the use of illicit drugs and the dangers it poses to their health.

During the course of the seminar, the students were taught how these drugs form gateway to the world of drug addiction, how drugs form the foundation of a life of crime, how enrolment in drugs can destroy their dreams and aspirations, the comparative effects of drugs among men and women and the health hazards of these drugs with pictures of the normal organs of the body and the organs of the body affected by these drugs.

With the help of the students who volunteered, Pharm. Nonso Maduka was able to demonstrate the different side effects of alcohol and illicit drugs on a males and females showing that these side effects are more visible in females than in males. The power point presentations showed a few short video campaigns of drug abuse and also draft copy of the teaching guidebook on drug abuse and alcoholism courtesy of Albert Oko of the Research and Development department of PRAWA who operated the projector.

At the end of the presentation, fifteen (15) out of the sixty-eight (68) students in attendance made a commitment to quit drugs with the facilitator guiding them through steps to quit drugs with plans for a post seminar counseling for the students to ensure they do not go back to drugs.