Family Minister Michael Falzon said that this strategy will provide support and aim to break the vicious cycle that people get themselves into with regards to drug use amongst teens. 

During a press conference at the Aula Magna Valletta Campus on Wednesday, Minister for Social Solidarity Michael Falzon together with Parliamentary Secretary Alex Muscat launched and gave an overview of the strategy against drug use amongst teens. 

Falzon appealed that the problem with drugs amongst teens needs to be addressed in order to break the vicious cycle that people get themselves into for various reasons which we must understand and sympathise with. 

Although mass gatherings are currently illegal due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the problem of drug use amongst teens still persists. 

“We need to understand the reality of drug use and addiction, rather than ignoring it. Some people might not understand why or how people become addicted to drugs and, in reality, drug addiction is a complex disease which takes more than good intentions or a strong will to stop,” Minister Falzon said. 

He added that “we are here to help you and not to judge you. Everyone has his personal internal story which one might fear to speak about, thus we should never judge.” 

Falzon appealed that people with such an addiction should be given a second chance and ensure that support is given. 

“The majority of people who turn to drugs in their life is because they seek to escape reality. For this reason, we must evaluate their reality and understand why they aren’t content and choose to turn to substance abuse,” he said. 

Parliamentary Secretary Muscat went on to say that “along with advisory addiction boards, FSWS and Sedqa we are working on this campaign to make a difference.” 

This campaign is aimed at adolescents, their parents, as well as educators to provide real knowledge and information about substance abuse, paving the way for no one to be discouraged from seeking help when needed, Muscat said. 

This campaign is built on three pillars in order to provide a holistic experience, including learn, interact and share. “It will be funded by Community Malta and will be implemented informally, where we will eliminate certain taboos that exist on the subject – a total investment of €90,000.” 

In addition, the campaign will give valuable information to parents and society at large about how to detect certain signs when a person has entered a vicious circle and we’ll educate in order to get to a point where a person is not afraid to ask. 

Muscat added that young people and adolescents look at the world with many filters – often even to escape certain realities they are facing and make crucial choices that reflect on their future. Therefore, through this campaign we will give them the essential tools for knowledge about substance abuse.