Helping fight the illegal drug trade

With the government’s efforts to fight illegal drugs, we fail to recognize the efforts being undertaken by the private sector.

Here in Davao City, we have private schools that have entered in a partnership with the Davao City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Cadac) to help fight illegal drugs through facilitating and rehabilitating drug dependents toward a reformed life away.

It was reported yesterday that through the University of Immaculate Conception’s (UIC) Kaduyog sa Kinabuhi, the school was able to help reduce the demand for illegal drugs. Program head doctor Corazon Umblero said this demand is worth around P6 million.

Drug surrenderers who join this program are being taught recovery skills, understanding addiction, and preventing getting addicted. It is a holistic approach through the activities involving physiological, psychological, spiritual, and economic productivity.

Ateneo de Davao University (Addu), also a Cadac partner, has the Committee Against Illegal Drugs (CAID), which has four main projects -- Healing and Recovery for Drug Surrenderers (Herds), Drug Hotline and Referral Helpline, Human Rights Training for Law Enforcers and Addu In-House Community Awareness Training, and Mindanao Drug Trade: Linking the Local to the Global.

The projects are centered on rehabilitating mild drug users, assisting surrendering drug addicts and their families, educating people on laws against illegal drugs, and research.

Both schools show that the government is not alone in its fight against illegal drugs. The private sector also plays a role in this fight.

It is commendable how some private institutions are helping in the fight against illegal drugs. Hopefully, more individuals and institutions will also do their part in this fight through less bloody methods like education campaigns.

It would also be great if such efforts from other private institutions, businesses, or individuals would also be done for households. As they say, education starts at home.