The educational sector officially launched activities in response tothe National Anti-Drug Action Month at a ceremony on June 16 at theThai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry.

Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Education and Training TranQuang Quy said that educating students about the dangers posed by drugsis a key and continuous mission to protect the country’s nextgenerations from the harmful effects of drug crimes.

Quy added that it is important for students to play a critical role in anti-drug work.

This is the second year that the National Target Programme for tackling drugs has been implemented.

In recent years the Department of Education and Training and schoolsacross the country have made progress in raising awareness aboutdangerous drugs and have successfully launched many educationalanti-drug activities.

The work has been overseen bythe Government and the National Committee for AIDS, Drugs andProstitution Prevention and Control.

However, theintricate nature of drug trafficking and turbulent socio-economicconditions has meant that drugs are still entering some educationalinstitutions in the country.

Authorities believethat students may have a weakness for drugs such as marijuana due to alack of education from their family, the hope of cultivating a ‘cool’image and peer pressure.

Through holding classesand extracurricular activities promoting work preventing and fightingdrug crime, and making each school an anti-drug stronghold, the ministryhopes to help students thoroughly understand the dangers and harmfuleffects of drugs and addictive substances.

Theministry also wants schools to hold meetings, exhibitions, talks andtraining courses on the issue to raise the effectiveness of theanti-drug work.

At the ceremony, representativesfrom Departments of Education and Training from several northernprovinces joined with schools, colleges and universities to sign acommitment titled “Students say no to drugs”.-VNA