The political and legal affairs committee, drug control committee, and Youth League committee in Changsha county launched an anti-drug campaign in local schools, giving lectures on anti-drug knowledge to students. Newly enrolled students at Songyahu Junior High School received such a lecture on September 16.

Changsha county launches anti-drug campaign in school A student of Songyahu Junior High School writes his name on the drug control banner on Sept 16, 2014. [Photo by Cui Yuelong]

Associate Professor Shen Qunyi from Hunan Police Academy explained about different drugs and their serious damage during the lecture. The main reasons for adolescents to take drugs include curiosity, temptation from friends and drug dealers, seeking for stimulation and stress relief. Traditional drugs, particularly new synthetic drugs are normally associated with elements such as fashion, fun, and partying, which make them misleading and deceptive to adolescents.

Shen said that adolescent anti-drug education should be rigorously conducted on “three lines of defense” – psychology, behavior, and thought – to fully protect them from drugs. The students also watched drug control videos during the lecture, and held a signature ceremony themed ‘I say no to drugs’.

Wang Shengbiao, a first-year student told the reporter that the event filled his ‘knowledge gaps’ in resistance to drugs.

According to a principal of the Youth League committee, the next phase of the campaign will be carried out with the combined efforts of families, schools and society to keep youngsters far away from drugs.