The Youth Care Foundation (YCF) The Gambia recently concluded a one-day workshop on youths against drugs.

Speaking at the closing ceremony the Director of the organisation, Mr. Kolapo, said drug abuse resistance education should be included in the Upper Basic School curriculum.

He revealed the prevention model that he would be in favour of would be science based and that the project would be influenced by the friends and partner of the organisation, DARE America.

For her part, Mrs. Ramoutoulie Gaye Programme Coordinator of the organisation, said that drugs and substance abuse should be categorized jointly with all forms of smoking. She asserted that cannabis, Marijuana and tobacco should all be regarded in the same way and children should be protected from cigarettes.

“It is a bad and unhygienic attitude from parents to smoke in the presence of their children,” Mrs. Gaye said.

She posited that no parent would want their child to be a smoker in the future therefore they should not smoke around them. She concluded by saying that parents should be positive role models for their children to emulate.