World Drug Day: Experts identify media as critical partners in achieving drug free society
By Dennis Udoma, Uyo
Experts on drug and alcohol studies have identified media as agent of social change in the fight against substance usage and abuse in Nigeria.
Health Sociologist at the Center for Research and Information on Substance Abuse (CRISA), Mr. Ediomo – Ubong Nelson disclosed this at a One Day Media Round – Table with journalists in Uyo to mark this year’s World Drug Day titled, “Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention.”
He said, there cannot be meaningful progress in the effort to stop drug or substance usage by individuals without the media at the forefront.
The resource persons, who presented papers on drug and alcohol use, implications on health, society and the economy, took a swipe at the drug situation in Nigeria, Africa and the world in general and charged the media to appropriately use appreciative language in reporting persons with substance usage to avoid being perceived negatively.
He further stated that the media should ethically and responsively communicate drug related issues so as not to perpetuate the problem.
According to them, “The media is a critical change agent in changing the current narrative on stigmatising persons with drug use; being the foundation on which the drug use challenges can be communicated positively or negatively.
“Language can marginalise, stigmatise, alienate, exclude or include. It shapes perception, attitude and could have real life impact on social interactions; conveys stereotypes and biases which can make people feel unsafe, unwanted, unwelcome and rejected among other things.”
Participants at the discourse however, agreed that language misuse should be seen as a public health matter, while the society should be sensitised against exclusion.
They also advocated that there should be home-grown solutions to stem the tide of drug misuse, upgrading of available statistics to meet current realities on ground.
Others are that governments should target the early teens to avoid early addiction through public enlightenment and school programmes, establishment of rehabilitation centres to enhance rehabilitation of people with substance abuse and investment on prevention programmes targeting young people with trained professionals etc.
