Drug abuse campaign launched
BRIGHTON Beach SAP is hosting a public drug awareness campaign, ‘Drugs Drag you Down’ to educate parents, caregivers, educators and children on drug use and dependency.
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2013/08/anti_drugs_day1.jpg)
Conducted by communications officer, Captain Louise Le Roux, the campaign will be realised through Facebook and other social media outlets and the distribution of pamphlets throughout the policing area.
According to Captain Le Roux, children normally experiment with drugs due to peer pressure, communication problems, ignorance or curiosity, immaturity, lack of immediate supervision, acceptance, poor self-discipline, rebellious behaviour, too much self-confidence, or to improve poor self-image, as an emotional release, or to follow the example of a family member.
She suggests parents be on the lookout for, among other things, fatigue, irritation, paranoia, drowsiness, weight loss, memory loss, slurred speech, enlarged or diminished pupils, inability to reason, selling personal belongings, loss of moral values or self-respect, criminal behaviour, sustained illnesses, delayed reaction, hands stained yellow or brown, deterioration of school work, appearance and personal hygiene, difficulty concentrating, and a radical change in friends.
A urine test conducted by a pathologist should be able to determine whether drugs are in the child’s system.
The campaign will run in the final days of July and further information on drug dependency and help will be included in the pamphlets distributed at shopping centres and other locations in the Brighton Beach policing area.