Eye Opener Women and Youth Foundation, a Non Governmental Organization (NGO), says it is working with families to tackle drug abuse in Kaduna State.

The President of the Foundation, Mrs Magret Julius, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Kaduna that the level of drug abuse among young men and women in the state was worrisome.

Mrs Julius said curbing drug disorder among youths and women required the support of families and members of the society.

“The foundation is working with families on how to help the affected persons and also the need to be loved by their families without stigmatization.

“The foundation has been advocating and engaging families, community leaders and critical stakeholders to enlighten them on how to care for patients facing substance disorder.

“If one person is affected in a family the whole family is sick, the community is sick, that is why we have been doing a lot of community dialogue about substance  disorder.”

According to her, the organisation has held workshops on how families and key influencers would help patients of substance disorder to overcome their condition and reintegrate into the society.

Mrs Julius commended the efforts of state and federal governments on the fight against drug abuse.

“We already know that the state government is fighting the key drivers of the drugs; we do not have problem with the drivers, our problem is only the end users.

“So we are working with families and we have done seminars with them on how to take care of people suffering from drugs abuse’’.

She also said the foundation had been collaborating with the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency and Kaduna State Bureau for Drugs and Substance Abuse, to ensure that the state is free from illicit drugs.

Mrs Julius commended the government for the ongoing efforts to set up four drug treatment centres across the state.

She said that the centres would help in counselling and treatment of drug users, thereby reducing the burden on the foundation and others working to tackle the drug menace.

Mrs Julius disclosed that the foundation was also involved in career guidance and skills training.

According to her, there are women and youths that already have idea on what they want, and some had undergone skills training, but have no means of starting up a business.

“The foundation has trained over 1,000 women and youth on various vocational skills which include shoe and bag making, tailoring among others.”

She explained that the skills training was conducted through related NGOs, adding that the foundation provided a token to those trained to set up businesses.

Mrs Julius advised the youth to shun drug abuse to enable them face the future and make the best out of their lives.