Moroccan groups target teen tobacco, drug use
2009-05-29
Moroccan non-governmental organisations have come together to address the issue of tobacco and drug addiction among young people. Still, no progress can be made unless families play their part in the lives of their children.
By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat – 29/05/09
 [www.who.int] Ahead of World No Tobacco Day, Morocco launched an awareness campaign against the dangers of tobacco. |
Civil society in Morocco is working to battle tobacco and drug addiction among young people. With the help of non-governmental organisations, many teenagers have managed to kick their habits.
Eighteen-year-old Salim is one of them. His teacher got him back on the straight and narrow by helping him beat his problem with drugs, and now he tells his story to other young people to discourage them from starting the dangerous behaviour.
"A friend offered me my first cigarette and I soon got hooked. When I realised my parents didn't know what I was doing, I carried on until one day a teacher who was a member of an organisation saved me by giving me advice and support for several weeks," he said.
He is not the only young person to speak publicly about his bad experience. Other youngsters, including girls, have told their friends and teachers of their misadventures and the role civil society campaigners had in helping them.
A member of Moroccan Association for Listening and Dialogue, Amina Baaji, a teacher, has helped several secondary-school pupils over the years put their difficulties behind them.
"Families must look after their children and try to understand them so that they will not become addicted to tobacco or drugs," she explained. "Failure to listen and understand is the main reason young people are led astray and fall by the wayside."
Another teacher, Jamal Bahaoui, agreed. If young people are to be shielded from tobacco and drugs, families and schools must be vigilant and try to understand the needs and fears of teenagers, he added. Teachers must spend more time listening to their pupils so that they can give them guidance and help them deal with their psychological problems, he suggested.
Marital problems between her parents spurred Samira, a secondary-school student, to start smoking and take drugs when she was thirteen. "My mother took no notice of me. She gave me money to get rid of me. As for my dad, he only came home in the evening and always started arguments. I easily found refuge in drugs."
"The best way of getting the message across is not giving advice, but rather taking a participatory approach based on the involvement of young people themselves," argued Jalal Tawfik, a psychiatrist. He encourages all young people who have overcome addiction to tobacco or drugs to act as an example to others.
Parents and teachers stress the importance of tackling cigarette smoking, as it can often serve as a stepping-stone to drug addiction.
A three-week awareness campaign was launched on May 15th by the Lalla Salma Cancer Association. The campaign aims to "make people sit up and take notice, raise awareness of the dangers of tobacco and change behaviour so that people don't start smoking." The World Health Organisation's World No Tobacco Day is May 31st.
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LAMIRI Mustapha Posted 2009-05-29
Stopping smoking is the best thing you can do to improve your health and your quality of life. On the other hand, most of those who continue to do so will be ending their lives a bit early. Moreover, parents, educational establishments and the media have a large responsibility in preventing children from smoking, sensitizing them and convincing them of the risks cigarettes pose to their health in the short and long term. In other words, it is better to prevent than to cure; it is better to stop smoking than to die. Smokers, it is up to you to choose – you are soiling your beautiful lungs, you are destroying the people around you and you are reducing your lifespan. Wake up so you can avoid the worst part!!! I am linking this website with import advice to read: http://www.contrelecancer.ma/
Moroccan Patriot Posted 2009-05-31
Rather than wasting money on initiatives aimed curtailing smoking and drug use among teens, money and efforts would be better spent enforcing the laws that currently exist. The culture of cheating needs to be the focus. Fighting cheating and a culture of corruption would go much further towards stopping drug and tobacco use. Cheating in schools has become the norm. Students who would never consider stealing a 100 DH from a teacher have no qualms about cheating on exams, or helping other students to cheat on exams. This fosters a culture of corruption and sends tens of thousands of ill qualified unprepared workers into the work force who will ofcourse carry on the culture of corruption that is learned in schools. Cheating on exams needs to be dealt with much more seriously. Students need to understand that if they cheat on a homework assignment that there will be consequences... serious consequences, particularly at private schools. Kids need to become self reliant.
FADEL DE ANNABA Posted 2009-06-01
I really hope this organisation stays strong against smoking. I stopped smoking in 28 February 1999, and I hope the same for all smokers, especially the Muslims ones. In effect, tobacco and everything that goes with it is a sin. The Arabs should prohibit the importation and sale of cigarettes and alcohol. Dear leaders, you are the only one who are working to keep smoking around. You do not see the consequences, just the money going into your accounts. How much goes to importing this shit (pardon the term) instead of using the money to other ends: schools, sports, research, construction, building dams, creating jobs for young people and so on. For example, in a state in the Maghreb, we see small vendors on all the street corners and no one dares bother them. To this regard, the cigarettes a right in reach of young people who still have not got a good head on their shoulders. Dear leaders, you are the only ones responsible before The Almighty for what the young people do. I note that you have done nothing to save them. Thank you, everyone. Excuse my perhaps provocative behaviour. Long live the Arab Maghreb.
كلتم Posted 2009-06-18
Please help me. I have a brother, 26, he is addicted to tobacco and cannabis. Now he is addicted to silicione (a glue) in a water bottle. I don’t whether he drinks it or sniffs it. He has become obsessed and insulting. I am concerned about him from getting lost and becoming homeless. He spends all night sniffing it. In the daytime, he sleeps. I don’t know how to solve this problem. Does he need a psychiatrist or force (beating) or what? Therefore, I ask you to help me. Thank you very much.
salma Posted 5 days ago
Salam. I hope you will help me. My brother is 15, he is addicted to sniffing glue and cigarettes. I want an association in Agadir.
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