Koronadal, South Cotabato (11 January) -- Some 25 first and second year high school students from different public schools in South Cotabato successfully finished two-day Listo Leadership Training on illegal drug abuses.

The training focused on the provision on proper education on young people about the negative effects of using illegal drugs.

Bella Lechonsito, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer, said the provincial government and Department of Education (DepEd) launched the training to develop a young core of advocates in the area.

"We are hopeful that these young and dynamic high school students will lead in advocating the positive outcome of being a drug-free person," she said.

Through the help of the training program, Lechonsito said the student had started to realize that using drugs will not do anything good to them and their families.

The program covered lectures on different issues and concerns about drug abuse given by teachers and nurses.

The topics include Drug Abuse Program, Resistance Techniques on how to say No, Development Stages of Adolescents, STRONG Virtues, Resisting Gang and Group Violence, Strategies on Drug Abuse, Effects of Drugs to the Mind and Body, How to Manage Drug Abuse Cases in Schools, Managing Stress and Provisions of Republic act 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act.

According to the Anti-Drug Program of Action Survey, the number of regular drug users reached 1.8 million while the causal users increased to 1.6 million in 2001 from just 20,000 users in 1972.

The top 10 substances that are being abused are: shabu (Methampethamine Hydrochloride) at 87.82%; Marijuana (Cannabis) at 28.56%; Corex-DM (Cough/ Cold Medicine) at 2.32%; Rugby (Inhalant) at 1.78%; Trazepam (Benzodiazepine) at 1.28%; Brownies/ Cake (Cannabis) at 1.04%; Robitussin AC (Cough/ Cold Medicine) at 1.03%; Corex Plain (Cough/ Cold Medicine) at 1.01%; and Nubain (Narcotic/ Analgesic) at 0.89%.