Paying attention to our addictions

Executive Director of Prevention of Alcoholic and Drug Dependency (ICPA), Dr. Peter Landless, has called on the Caribbean to pay greater attention to areas such as sex addictions, gambling and pornography, which are, other addictions plaguing society.{{more}}

Dr. Landless congratulated the Caribbean bloc of the International Commission for the ICPA for looking at the problems of drug addiction and alcoholism, but also called on them to be an organisation that was “relevant to the needs of its time, to be functionally effective” especially to the youth.

He said through education, motivation, prevention and advocacy the ICPA must also address problems such as HIV/AIDS closely linked to addiction and drug use.

Dr. Landless explained that many people use chemicals, which cloud their good judgement, and cause them to make poor decisions which ultimately affect their lives and others.

He described ICPA as a non-political, non-faith based organisation aimed at combating the scourges of addiction and drugs throughout the world. He however admitted that since there have been only 70 member countries since the organisation was established in 1952 more work would have to be done to ensure that lives were helped.

Dr. Landless commended the NCPA of Barbados for coming up with the campaign for the 2007 World Cricket Cup “Smoke Free” and said that this may influence mainly young people to not ever take up smoking.

The Barbados chapter of the ICPA has been functioning for the last 17 years but in 2004

St. Lucia, Trinidad, Dominica, Antigua and Guyana came on board to the ICPA. On Monday, January 23, these countries, including St.Vincent and the Grenadines, all participated in the regional conference which was held in Barbados.

Dr. Ishaad John is Chairperson of the local committee, which includes four other members.