Date: February 11, 2025
Written by our member: YOCFAN

Honorary Counsel General of Sri Lanka H.E. Mr. Yasin Joyia visited Drug Advisory Training Hub (DATH) office a project of Youth Council for Anti Narcotics (YOCFAN). He appreciated the DATH & YOCFAN efforts and ongoing activities in drug demand reduction and also discussed about the new trends of addiction among youth, latest situation of drug use in the city of Lahore, treatment & rehabilitation, recovery programs and coordination with government departments etc.

Mr. Yoyia said that he didn’t see any organizations in the whole Punjab who are providing different services in drug demand reduction programs. He said that he is glad that the organization is providing different services/interventions like awareness on drug use prevention, training on drug use prevention for teachers, youth, parents, journalists, community leaders and nonteaching staff, introduced Smoke and Drug Free Campus as third party, distribution food and water to homeless drug addicts/SUDs who are using drugs on footpaths, gardens & parks, refer SUDs for free treatment & rehabilitation programs and guidance program for families. He further said he will try to introduce Drug Advisory Training Hub (DATH) a project of Youth Council for Anti Narcotics (YOCFAN) in business community. He thanks all executive members especially Syed Zulfiqar Hussain and Syed Mohsin who invited him in a wonderful gathering and shared the experience in drug demand reduction.

Syed Zulfiqar Hussain Consultant/Expert, Anti Drugs Narcotics Campaign and Director Drug Advisory Training Hub (DATH) said that Lahore is the second-largest city in terms of population after Karachi, where drug use and the drug trade are at an all-time high. In the city, more than one hundred and twenty-eight (120) different areas have been severely damaged, and a significant number of drug addicts and people with substance use disorders (SUDs) are freely using drugs.

The Organisation’s aim is to educate and equip young people in the fight against drugs as a social ill. In Pakistan, the number of drug users is rising quickly, and most of them are late teenagers and young adults. This is a worrying situation for the whole country. The youth of Pakistan is seriously at risk from this. Although we constantly think that the younger generations have a lot of promise and enthusiasm, we lack a plan on how to focus all of their good energy.

Mr. Hussain said that the organization provides all services in drug demand reduction free of cost, including training programs for youth, teachers, women, journalists, community leaders, nonteaching staff according to international prevention standards etc. He said that their free treatment programs, distribution of food & water to homeless SUDs, and data collection of persons without homes with substance use disorders that have passed over the years are evidence-based. Syed Mohsin, Program Coordinator introduced the organization’s activities and structures and also highlighted the networking with different government and nongovernment departments.