Anti-drug abuse campaign 'Sharpen Your Mind – Keep Substances at a Distance' begins: 55 kg of drugs seized in Sarajevo Canton in ten months

(Patria) - The Ministry of Interior of Sarajevo Canton today presented a campaign against drug abuse in Sarajevo Canton, titled SHARPEN YOUR MIND – KEEP SUBSTANCES AT A DISTANCE. This campaign is one of the measures envisaged by the Strategy against Drug Abuse in Sarajevo Canton for the period 2024-2028. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the risks and harms of using narcotic drugs, the emergence and harmfulness of new psychoactive substances, the risks and harms of experimental and recreational use of narcotic drugs, and the risks of driving under the influence of drugs.

According to the Minister of Interior of Sarajevo Canton, Admir Katica, the Police Administration of the MUP of Sarajevo Canton seized 55 kg and nearly 1,000 packages of drugs in Sarajevo Canton (marijuana, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamines, and other substances resembling narcotic drugs) in just the first ten months of this year. The Minister announced that the campaign will be carried out through radio and TV programs, online platforms, social media, schools, and an outdoor campaign at tram and bus stops. However, alongside the campaign, intensive fieldwork continues.

“Police officers of the Police Administration of the MUP of Sarajevo Canton will start testing drivers for the presence of drugs in their blood from next year. The Police Administration has already initiated the procurement process for drug tests and I hope it will be completed as soon as possible,” confirmed Minister Katica. He emphasized that Sarajevo Canton, for the first time, has an integrated and balanced strategy against drug abuse based on interdepartmental cooperation, and thanked the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labor, Social Policy, Displaced Persons and Refugees, Ministry of Transport, and Ministry of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton as important partners participating in the implementation of the campaign and other measures envisaged by the Strategy.

Special emphasis was placed on the importance of launching a Counseling Center for minors experimenting with drugs, which operates daily at the Institute for Addiction Diseases of Sarajevo Canton, where parents can bring their children without a referral from a family doctor or any other physician. As part of the campaign, visuals and posters have been created and will be placed in all schools, indicating the existence of this type of support for minors.

The Chairman of the Assembly of Sarajevo Canton, Elvedin Okerić, recalled how and when the initiative for a systemic approach to the issue of drug abuse in Sarajevo Canton came about. “The Assembly of Sarajevo Canton, at an emergency session on traffic safety, tasked the Government of Sarajevo Canton with adopting a program for the prevention and suppression of narcotic drug abuse, with a special focus on controlling traffic participants, and the lead implementer was the MUP of Sarajevo Canton. We recognized that drug abuse is a first-class social problem, among the first in the etiology of crime, so the fight against this scourge of modern times is also a fight for a safer and healthier society,” stated Chairman Okerić, adding that he is pleased to witness the implementation of a series of measures envisaged by the Strategy.

The Prime Minister of the Government of Sarajevo Canton, Nihad Uk, stated that this campaign is a key step in implementing the Strategy. “Our goal is to act on all aspects of this problem – drug supply, environmental influence, and personality – through preventive measures, education of youth and parents, and concrete actions.”

Also addressing those present was the Vice Dean for International Cooperation and Full Professor at the Department of Criminology, Faculty of Criminology, Criminology and Security Studies, Prof. Dr. Irma Deljkić, who made a significant contribution, from a professional perspective, to the development of the Strategy against Drug Abuse in Sarajevo Canton. “The importance of this campaign is reflected in its preventive character within the Strategy, which aims to protect and improve the well-being and welfare of our society and every individual, public health, and raise the level of security in society,” stated Prof. Dr. Deljkić.

At the presentation of the campaign SHARPEN YOUR MIND – KEEP SUBSTANCES AT A DISTANCE, visuals were shown that will be visible over the next 30 days on online platforms, social media, and displays in public city transport vehicles, featuring slogans tailored to the younger population, such as: Drop the buds, find the beat, Protect your body – white stuff, Draw plans, not lines, Roll successes, not grass...

The campaign also includes a promotional film that presents a clear and recognizable depiction of the problem of drug abuse using symbolism that reflects the internal struggle, confusion, and consequences that drugs cause in young people.