Page 7 - aruba-today-20220629

a7
local Wednesday 29 June 2022
Authorities come together to mark International Day Against

Abuse and Illicit Traffic of Drugs

On the 26th of June was The admission criteria, ac-
conmemorated the In- cording to Lont, is that
ternational Day Against when a person enters the
Abuse and Illicit Traffic of rehabilitation center, they
Drugs. Anti-Drug Founda- must be 18 years or older,
tion Aruba (FADA), together and they don’t accept
with other agencies joined people older than 65. This
together in a press confer- is because underage chil-
ence on the 27th of June to dren require specific pro-
pay attention to awareness fessional care that they
and prevention. don’t have available at
the moment. “If we put an
United Nations Organiza- underage child right now
tion stands still to reinforce together with a person 18
action and cooperation or older, the thought and
for a society that is free of the care are completely
drugs. Since it’s approval different”, according to
in 1987, this day is used to Lont. Neither do they ac-
gather people, commu- cept people with mental or
nity and organizations all tion to identify the degree physical health problems.
around the world to create of seriousness of the per-
awareness about the im- son’s addiction. They work Lont also highlighted that
portant problem that illicit with psychoeducation, World Organization Drugs
substances represent to so- psychopedagogy, social and Alcohol mentions that
ciety. workers and a psychiatrist on 2019, more than half a
to determine the type of million people died as a re-
Rulienne Arends, preven- help that the person needs, sult of addiction, and they
tive worker for FADA, said and then proceed de- expect that by 2030 this is
that the 26th of June is a pending of the amount of going to rise with 11 per-
very important day for this sessions the client needs. cent. As a representative
and other agencies, on If the ambulatory treat- of Stichting Hunto, she ex-
which they celebrate In- ment doesn’t work for the pressed that they have no-
ternational Day Against client, then they proceed ticed and experienced an
Abuse and Illicit Traffic to the intramural part, increase in the amount of
of Drugs. United Nations which according to Lont, clients. In 2020 they helped
for 2022 chose the motto been working for preven- ships. is like a rehabilitation cen- 960 clients and in 2021 they
‘Care in Crises’, a cam- tion, giving talks to children ter. There they advice the helped more than 1,500
paign focused on the hu- 4 years and older, to ex- Drug trafficking continues client, but don’t demand, clients, of which 4 percent
manitarian side. plain about all the dangers day by day, with people that they enter the reha- asked for intramural help
For this reason, United Na- that use of legal or illegal trying a thousand different bilitation center on a basis and 96 percent asked for
tions calls upon govern- substances has on people’s ways to either take out or of three, six or nine months, ambulatory care.
ments, international orga- health. Arends explained bring in illicit substances. during which they receive
nizations, civil society and that they have given talks Kelly says that most cases psychoeducation so they For this reason they want-
every interested person to to adults up to 80 years old, they encounter are people can go back into the com- ed to give attention to this
take urgent action to pro- so they can have all the in- trying to travel with the sub- munity – this because some day, so that people can be
tect people. The campaign formation they need. stances. of them forget some basic aware of what drug and
highlights data from the re- necessities about how to addiction can cause, not
port by United Nations Of- This effort isn’t only FADA’s Also at the press confer- integrate back. only to individuals, but to
fice on Drugs and Crime job, but also other agen- ence was the social worker entire communities.q
(UNODC), which presents cies which every day fight of Stichting Hunto (Togeth-
facts and practical solu- and prevent the use and er Foundation), Michelle
tions for the drug problem illicit traffic of drugs. At the Lont, who said that unlike
and to support a sanitary press conference was also the work that FADA does
vision for everyone, based present the Department of for prevention, Stichting
on science. Customs, represented by Hunto works on treatment.
Kathleen Faro, who is assis- They have two types, am-
Arends expressed that two tant manager, and also by bulatory and intramural.
years ago situation was Denice Kelly, who works as
very intense because of dog handler for Customs. For the ambulatory part,
the Covid-19 pandemic, Kelly said that their job is Lont said that through part-
and FADA received a lot of focused primarily on weap- ner organizations which
calls from people, be it for ons, drugs and money, refer clients to them, Stich-
themselves or members of working together with six ting Hunto works with the
their family, because of lost dogs they have in the de- private and public sector,
jobs, loss of fixed income, or partment. She also indicat- hospitality, school of the
deceased family members ed that they work together Aruban community direct-
which caused them to fall with the Police Force and ly. When a client is referred
back into addiction. Coast Guard. They also to Stichting Hunto, they
check passengers arriving carry out various drug tests,
For many years, FADA has at the airport and on cruise alcohol test and consump-