Lebanese Ministry of Information
Minister of Information, Dr. Manal Abdel Samad Najd, visited on Saturday the Jad-Youth Against Drugs Association at its center in Habboub – Jbeil District, where she was received by Jbeil Qaem-Maqam Nathalie Merhi el-Khoury, Head of Jbeil Mayors League Michel Gebran, Mayor of Ghalboun Gabi Jebrayel, Jad Association President Joseph Hawat and members, Customs General Directorate Anti-Narcotics Division Member, Lieutenant Antoine Kozeily, and various concerned sides.
In a brief word during the visit, Abdel Samad considered that the threat of addiction is more difficult than the Coronavirus pandemic, stressing on the need to work together hand-in-hand to combat it.
“Lebanon is in danger and our young people are in danger, and this risk may be more difficult than the threat of the Corona epidemic, because it is an invisible danger. COVID-19 is for a temporary period, and a treatment will eventually be found for this epidemic. However, the danger of drug addiction and drug trafficking is a chronic and long-term peril that exposes our youth to carrying out a series of criminal acts that also lead to death,” Abdel Samad said.
She praised the role played by Jad Association, expressing her pleasure in visiting its offices and learning more about its activities and future projects.
“We may be concerned with many problems in the country and tend to forget that we have to highlight the drug problem, especially since the plague of drug trafficking and addiction thrives and grows in light of the huge economic crisis we are witnessing today, as a result of unemployment and psychological issues that our young people and our families are experiencing, and this constitutes a growing danger that necessitates having awareness,” Abdel Samad underlined.
The Minister urged media outlets to partake in the awareness campaign against this threat, devoting a large part of their programs to spreading such awareness and delivering the message to all members of society.
She also highlighted the need to provide all addicts who have fallen into this trap with the necessary treatment and support, in order to help them overcome their addiction and set an example in their steadfast confrontation.
Abdel Samad emphasized “the importance of solidarity, collaboration and cooperation of all forces, whether in the public or private sector, government agencies and relevant ministries, especially the Ministry of Education, which should introduce this topic in the educational curriculum more broadly, in addition to international organizations that can help in providing awareness projects and activities with the significant funding required.”
Moreover, the Information Minister indicated that the Prime Minister has keen concern for this issue, hoping that “concerted efforts will be united to deliver this image”, and stressing that “we must all stand in the face of the war being waged against us by preventing drug trafficking and addiction.”
“When we work together as a one hand, victory will be ours, and we can then deliver the message to each of our homes, especially to the mothers who are a school in themselves, capable of educating their children about the danger that will destroy their lives and their future,” Abdel Samad underscored.
The Minister concluded by expressing full support to the Association’s work, revealing that a cooperation plan will soon be set in this framework.
At the end of the visit, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Ministry of Information and the Jad Association, and Abdel Samad was presented with the Association’s shield.
NNA
