Take the fight against drugs to social media, say MPs, counsellors

SINGAPORE — With inaccurate information about drugs widely available on the Net, any anti-drug efforts should include using social media as a key platform, and well-known personalities as ambassadors, said counsellors and Members of Parliament (MPs) yesterday.

They were responding to the findings of a study commissioned by the Task Force on Youths and Drugs, which found that youths hold more liberal attitudes towards drugs, especially cannabis, and are influenced by social media and celebrities.

The study also showed that youth abusers get their information about drugs through the Internet and social media platforms.

Marine Parade GRC MP Tin Pei Ling said leveraging social media is one way of getting the right information to these youth.

“(Social media) is definitely an important channel because there is so much information out there and you must make sure that the right (stuff) is available,” added Ms Tin, who sits on the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Home Affairs and Law.

Dr Carol Balhetchet, senior director of youth services at the Singapore Children’s Society, felt that celebrities, especially international ones, who take on the role of anti-drug advocates can help youngsters to say “no” to drugs.

Echoing similar sentiments, Ms Tin said having popular idols or spokespersons whom youths can identify with will also help to spread the anti-drug message. “They can, through their own platforms whether it’s Facebook or Twitter or Instagram, push out messages (and) share stories (of the consequences of taking drugs).”

Mr Lim Biow Chuan, the MP for Mountbatten, said schools could consider taking their students to drug rehabilitation centres to let the youngsters “see the effects” of taking drugs.

He pointed out that if the issue of drug abuse is treated as an “academic study”, students may find that it is not relevant to them. “They may see it as another moral lesson,” said Mr Lim, who chairs the GPC for Education.

On the home front, Mr Lim said parents should always find out what their children are doing and to monitor the friends they hang out with. “Once you lose track, then your children can mix with company that will encourage them to experiment with drugs,” he added. “That is dangerous.”

Mrs Rachel Lee, senior assistant director of Fei Yue Family Service Centre, said having drug education in school is important, and it could start from the upper primary school level or at least from Secondary 1.

“Nowadays, even upper primary school (students) may be very familiar about social media,” she added. For example, these students can be taught about the effects that drug abuse can have on their bodies, said Mrs Lee.