National Council Against Drug Abuse - NCADA

NCADA collaborated with SCOGA to organise its first-ever Campus Legends Parents Seminar on 3 Aug 2024.

The seminar was titled “Our children are more vulnerable to drug abuse today. What can we do as parents?”

In his opening address, MOS Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim said that the importance of parental guidance and support cannot be overstated. He revealed data from NCADA’s latest national drug perception survey, which found that just under 5 years, more young people in Singapore personally knew someone who had taken drugs. He said it was concerning how many youths could not differentiate between the harms of to***co and illicit drugs as well.

Panellist cm Council Member, Ms Elaine Loo, shared with participants that early conversations about drug abuse create a safe space for children to engage. This is critical as research from NCADA’s survey showed kids who discuss drug harms with their parents are much less likely to misuse substances. It is important to approach discussions with trust, avoiding a judgemental stance, as well as applying age-appropriate conversations to guide our children towards informed and responsible decisions regarding drug abuse.

We thank parents and volunteers for investing their time with us this morning. Special thanks to MOS Faishal for gracing the event, as well as our moderator, Firdaus Daud and panellists, Ms Carol Loi from SGFamilies, Mr Isaac Goh who is an XOFG leader, and Council members Dr Jimmy Lee and Ms Elaine Loo for sharing your experiences and insights.

To read more, have a look at an article from the Straits Times:

More youth in Singapore personally know someone who had taken drugs: Survey The survey comes amid an increase in young drug abusers here. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Parenting is not a walk in the park! But we can be thankful that we have forerunners and resources available today.

We ask parents to set aside two hours on Saturday 3 August, for a Parents Seminar held at *SCAPE. Presented by Campus Legends and the National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA), this seminar brings together a unique panel of members who will share applicable insights from their varied personal and professional experiences.

If you are a parent who wants to make sense of various vulnerabilities and realities faced by our children today, this seminar is designed to equip you with practical understanding of how you might effectively help your child navigate stressors and prevent substance addiction.

This seminar is free but ticketed. Limited seats are available at the event venue, so do Register early to secure a spot!

Get your Tickets via the Registration Link below:
https://clpsncada2024.eventbrite.sg/

NCADA’s view on how US President Biden’s move to relax restrictions on cannabis has a detrimental impact both inter-generationally and especially to disadvantaged communities. The policy change, whether politically motivated or empathic, is unfortunately, not supported by scientific research and sends an erroneous signal. This commentary is co-written by A/Prof Ganapathy and our Chairman Mr Tan Chong Huat.

Commentary: Biden's ma*****na move is a step backwards in the global fight against drugs US President Joe Biden’s plan to downgrade ma*****na, whether politically motivated or empathic, is a regressive step in the global fight against drugs, say Tan Chong Huat and Narayanan Ganapathy from Singapore’s National Council Against Drug Abuse.

We champion the Isaacs in Singapore, on their journey from stereotypes to archetypes.
Just as much, in Isaac’s story, we recognise what pivotal roles his mum and dad learnt to fill, to bring him home.

The involvement of parents is critical in our drug-free movement, and we encourage parents to make time to attend the Campus Legends Parents Seminar that’ll be held on 3 August Saturday, at *SCAPE. We’re putting together a panel to help parents understand how they might step up and be there for their children, in a time of increasing permissive attitudes towards drug abuse around the world.

More event details to be released soon.

Meet Isaac - gamer and entrepreneur #DrugFreeSG Meet Isaac - Mobile Legends fan, aspiring businessman - and also someone who struggled with drug addiction. In this candid interview with Thomas 'Blysk' Kopa...

Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law, K Shanmugam Sc, gave a comprehensive statement on the global and domestic drug situation at Parliament yesterday. He took effort to explain Singapore’s approach - which is about protecting our people and preventing the destruction of thousands of families and loss of lives. We are grateful that PM Lee and several other Ministries expressed support for the drug-free cause too.

More than an event, the community coming together with the authorities displays a solidarity that marks Singapore’s resolve as a nation to keep drugs away from the next generation.

Chairman NCADA, Chong Huat Tan, reiterated that a whole-of-Singapore effort is required for us to achieve our drug-free vision. NCADA hopes to rally the ecosystem because the impact of drug abuse is far reaching and wide.

He also said that youths know that drug abuse is harmful, but as Singaporeans, the problem is we often mind our own business if it’s someone else’s choice. The fact is our young are more exposed to drugs and permissiveness towards drug abuse today. It is critical for parents and guardians to make our stand against drug abuse clear to our children at a young age.

We can all do our part for a . Will you join us?

Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam Sc made a Ministerial statement on Singapore’s national drug control policy in Parliament today.

Singapore has long maintained a strict drug control policy. This has undeniably been effective in the fight against drugs, even though some have criticised it. I thank CNB Drug Free SG for their steadfast efforts to control the drug situation. We have also implemented anti-drug programmes and preventive drug education to tackle the problem upstream.

Joining us in Parliament today were ex-drug offenders, their family members, and officials and volunteers involved in anti-drug programmes. Having met with them, I am proud of their efforts in remaining drug-free, and am confident we can control the drug problem and safeguard the lives of Singaporeans.

(Photo by me)

For the first time, Campus Legends partners with the National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA) to spotlight the Drug-Free cause in Singapore, with the aim of rallying the gaming community towards advocacy for a drug-free generation. Under the banner “We Game as One”, the campaign will build deeper awareness of how youths can do their part in keeping their friends safe from the harms of drug abuse.

Why is it that drug abuse persists even when it is common knowledge that staying drug-free is important, particularly when it impedes excellence and all that we value as a community? The advocacy campaign with NCADA aims to address this by provoking paradigm shifts on the drug issue. It will discuss the relevance of the drug-free cause to our generation of youths.

An inaugural parenting conference would also be held in August, alongside the Campus Legends finale, to build parents’ awareness of their role in preventive drug education and help raise their readiness to engage in effective conversations for the prevention of drug abuse.

The ultimate goal is more than awareness; the partnership aspires to cultivate a community of advocates who believe in and stand for Campus Legends' values.

Dennis Ooi, President of SCOGA -
“The success of Campus Legends as it enters its 6th season will not be possible without the unwavering support of the gaming community and our esteemed partners, NCADA, *SCAPE, MyRepublic Acer and AOC Gaming Monitors. Campus Legends is not just about gaming, it’s about empowering youths and preparing them for life's challenges. Students learn invaluable communication, problem-solving, and resilience skills through the camaraderie and teamwork fostered in our tournaments. Our community partnership with NCADA underscores our commitment to social causes, ensuring that gaming remains a force for positive change in Singapore.”

A/P Elmie Nekmat, NCADA Council Member -
“NCADA is grateful for the opportunity to spotlight the drug-free cause through Campus Legends. Our approach has been to engage and converse with youths, on platforms that are native to them. Where youths can feel safe and speak freely and passionately. We are confident that youths inherently care for their generation, and they can be empowered to make a real difference in their immediate environments.

The reality is that drug abuse has become a more relevant social issue in recent years. Through our collaboration with Campus Legends, NCADA hopes to rally the gaming community to be a part of the drug-free advocacy movement. There is more that we each can do upstream to prevent drug abuse. The community can play an integral role in creating a culture and environment that safeguards their own peers from becoming vulnerable to the influences of drug abuse.”

Stay tuned for more details, as the esports community comes alongside NCADA to advocate for the drug-free cause this year!

NCADA remains steadfast in our plans to engage and converse with our youths. NCADA has, in recent years, worked to create opportunities for communities to have meaningful conversations on drugs. Through our campaigns, we had reached out to youths on platforms and environments that are native to them.

Similarly, as a key initiative this year, NCADA is supporting Campus Legends as its presenting partner in 2024. The Council intends to spotlight the drug-free cause through the annual Esports Tournament that engages youths across tertiary institutions in Singapore. We resonate with how Esports can positively impact our youths, and we believe that the Esports community can play a big part in advocating for the drug-free cause in Singapore too.

So with this, the countdown starts NOW for the Sixth season of Campus Legends. NCADA is thrilled to be collaborating with Campus Legends, and for the community’s participation as a fellow champion for the drug-free vision in Singapore. Stay tuned also for more information and join us on April 17th, 2024, for the official launch where this season’s game titles will be revealed.

SCOGA

The number of young drug abusers has increased, and CNB has flagged several other worrying develoments in its 2023 annual statistics report.

Message from Chairman NCADA, Mr Tan Chong Huat:

“NCADA had conducted its National Drug Perception Survey in 2023. Topline data informs us that nine in ten (90.9%) persons in Singapore supported Singapore’s drug-free position. Such a strong consensus in Singapore is reassuring, but CNB’s statistics show half of all new drug abusers arrested were below the age of 30. 90.4% of youths surveyed by NCADA felt drug-taking should remain illegal in Singapore, but only 79.3% of them agreed when asked the same for cannabis. 23.8% of youths either thought that drug-taking is fine as long as it doesn’t harm others or were ambivalent
about this statement.

Meaningful conversations with our young can make a difference. For instance, dedicated conversations about why many youths may think it is alright to legalise cannabis would help make space to identify valid sources of influence and an opportunity to address misinformation. Importantly, it is to reconcile differences and create common ground on what matters in their lives.

Everyone has a collective responsibility in building a drug-free society for our young ones. In 2023, as part of NCADA’s What’s Your Fix? Campaign, we organised a Youth Film Dialogue as a platform for youths to express their views and sentiments on the subject, and to lend their voice to the drug conversation. The campaign’s films and collaterals remain available online, and we encourage the public to use and share these resources to participate in the drug-free conversation.

In 2024, NCADA has started to rally partners to co-create ways for such conversations to take place, and to equip and engage youths and various stakeholders to become advocates against drug abuse. We will come alongside key partners like CNB to advance the drug-free mission in Singapore.”

Worrying rise in number of young people, women arrested for drug abuse in 2023: CNB The total number nabbed for drug abuse was up 10 per cent, and cannabis abusers hit a 10-year high. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Recently, Frontline featured a story of how two mothers stepped in to save their sons from drug addiction. We’re encouraged watching this documentary, as Nicholas and Boon Siang (Architects Of Life) candidly share about what led them to drugs, give us insight to their turning points, and in this episode, experts also shed light on the challenges in a drug addict’s recovery process.

NCADA Council member, Teo Ser Lee, urges parents and educators, to do their part to help steer youths away from drugs. She talks about NCADA’s efforts in providing resources to help them spark meaningful conversations on the topic of drugs in a natural, uncontrived manner.

We encourage our partners to share and talk about the issues featured within your communities! Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association Youthopia SG

Part One: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mdoE3WUL_Mw
Part Two: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnZZG9-M-MY
Part Three: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUiEdYKoQVo

前线追踪 | 一窥中央肃毒局扫毒行动！ 嗜毒者年轻化，《前线》直击中央肃毒局扫毒行动，一窥究竟。06/10/2023播出