In an effort to address the rising incidence of substance abuse and addiction and the resulting devastation caused to young people’s lives, the leadership of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God’s Youth Power Group held a series of events to highlight the dangers of addiction and offer practical advice and guidance.
More than 6 000 young people attended the event held at the Cenacle of the Holy Spirit in Soweto where speakers shared moving stories of their own lives and how they had been damaged by substance abuse and addiction.
Nametso Mofokeng spokesperson of the UKPG says that young people were warned that they are particularly vulnerable as they are the prime targets for drug pushers and the majority of users are introduced to alcohol or drugs by their friends not strangers.
Speakers encouraged the young people to make wise choices regarding their choice of friends and to associate with trustworthy peers who are unlikely to lead them astray.
A pastor shared how as a young person he had been exposed to drinking and drugs but eventually found the courage to stand up to his friends and say ‘no’.
He said: “You are the master of your future, not your friends. If you take advantage of an opportunity to change, your life can be restored. Your friends will laugh at you and call you names. They will try to influence you negatively, but it is all about you and the choices you make for yourself.”
Initially the fix may be affordable or is given free to ensnare the person, but users soon need more and more and the drug becomes unaffordable.
So desperate is the addict, that they are often forced to resort to crime or promiscuous behaviour to pay for their habit.
Mofokeng said: “Tragically, many crimes are committed while the perpetrator is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This impacts on their lives and has negative consequences on society as a whole. “The net of victims grows beyond what the initial ‘experiment to feel good for a short while’ could have foreseen.”
Speakers stressed that addiction cause’s havoc in families and the addict often resorts to crime and violence to feed their habit.
Lives are damaged and even lost.
But, they said, there is a way out and there is always hope.
Youth group leaders encouraged people to seek help and receive strength to change their lives by no longer being slaves to addiction.
She said: “Many young people had not realised how important it was to have friends who share their values and have positive goals for their future, rather than befriend the wrong crowd who could influence their lives so negatively.”
