KUALA LUMPUR: A study conducted by the National Anti-Drug Agency (Nada) reveals that families play a protective role for individuals involved in drug abuse, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Zahid also said of the 75,291 clients in Nada, 24.1 per cent, or 18,115, had family members involved in drug abuse.
"Therefore, the family programme approach needs to be strengthened by promoting the functionality of each family member and fostering active family interactions," he said after chairing the first Cabinet Committee
Meeting on Combating Drug Abuse (JKMD) today.
Zahid said collaboration with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in drug eradication activities would continue to be strengthened by implementing engagement programmes, community empowerment, community ownership, and counselling sessions.
To date, 458 NGOs are actively engaged in combating drug issues together with Nada."The government welcomes more NGO involvement in jointly combating drug problems in the future," he added.
Also in the meeting today were Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman.
