Lusaka — The Drug Enforcement Commission is making efforts to rehabilitate street children who are victims of drug abuse, commissioner Ryan Chitoba has observed.

And home affairs minister Bates Namuyamba has called on parents to talk about the lethal consequences of drugs to their children. Speaking at the celebrations to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking, dubbed 'Drugs are not child play', Chitoba said street children have remained prone to drug abuse. He said children's exposure to drugs was becoming a great threat globally.

"The vulnerable children are one group which is prone to drug abuse under the influence of substances such as Genkem, Bolstick and these substances have serious effects to their mental development. The commission is working with government departments and NGOs to address the plight of vulnerable children on the street who are abusing substances that are not listed on the schedule such as genkem, bbolstick and alcohol," he said.

Chitoba said the commission has plans to put up a rehabilitation center for street children to undergo treatment without being pressurized into relapse by older street kids.

He said drug abuse and trafficking has continued to negatively impact on the lives of children on and off the street.

"I wish to call on parents, guardians, teachers and the clergy to join hands with DEC by teaching our children that drugs are dangerous and are not child's play, some children in school have been pressurized by older kids to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes and eventually cannabis and other drugs such as hallucinogens," he said. "This day must inspire us to do something about the problem of drugs in our families, schools, churches and communities. According to the latest estimates from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes indicate that 200 million people of the global population including children have consumed illicit drugs at least once in a year," he said. Chitoba said since January this year, DEC had seized over 70 metric tonnes of home grown cannabis.

And Namuyamba said it was the responsibility of all citizens to empower and protect children from the consequences of drugs. "Explain to your children that using drugs can severely affect their personal development as well as the country's social economic development, let children know how these substances can cause problems in relationships and how they can tear families apart and lead to the risks of HIV infection," Namuyamba said. "By educating children on drugs, we will be empowering and protecting them from the consequences of drug abuse and other social ills," said Namuyamba.