NCADA initiates talks with various community leaders to seek additional views to improve the drug situation among the respective community groups. The sessions allow the leaders to come together and discuss ways to bring down the level of drug abuse in their communities. These meetings have been fruitful. The Malay community, for example, wants to intensify efforts to reach out to high-risk Malay students. They call for the introduction of religious studies in schools and more active role for mosques in the anti-drug efforts. There is a strong support for tougher punitive measures for drug abusers. They also suggest that inmates on the Day Release Scheme should do community work in mosques. On the other hand, the Indian leaders want anti-drug messages to be included in the religious preaching at Hindu temples. The abuse of "Ecstasy" pills is noted to be predominantly a problem for the Chinese. Here, the strategy is to de-glamorise the drug and highlight the foolishness and futility of taking these pills.
The analysis of the suggestions clearly highlights the wishes of the different communities for greater involvement in the fight against drug abuse.
Since 1995, the annual campaign has been a success as it has provided the impetus and set new direction for the implementation of future preventive drug education programmes and activities.
NCADA members having an active dialogue session with community leaders.
