Life Is Better

As part of this campaign, launched on the occasion of the International Day for Protection of Children, families, schools, and governments worked together in partnership in an effort to fight the scourge of illegal narcotics. The slogan/message of the campaign is a positive one, appealing directly to schoolchildren to stay independent and make an informed choice to live a life that is better than one dependent on tobacco, alcohol, and other substances.

Over the past decade, Georgia's National Curriculum has begun to incorporate information on healthy lifestyles, and IOM Georgia created scientific, evidence-based information, education, and communication (IEC) materials called "Life Is Better" to facilitate school-based substance abuse primary prevention mainstreaming for further consideration of its inclusion into the civic education programming. These IEC materials were disseminated by IOM Georgia in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia (MoES), the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC), and Ilia State University within 7 public schools located in the 3 most vulnerable (in terms of substance abuse) regions of the country. The "Life Is Better" materials - click here for access - provide youth with information on facts and risks associated with use of 8 psychoactive substances, including tobacco, alcohol, injecting drugs, inhalants, bio/spices, sedatives, ecstasy, and marijuana/cannabis.

To ensure engagement and participation of young people, a school competition was announced by IOM at each of the 7 public schools taking part in the campaign. As part of the competition, 122 schoolchildren (76 girls and 46 boys) submitted their artwork pertaining to psychoactive substances abuse primary prevention. IOM and INL revealed and awarded 7 prime awards for art pieces, essays, poems, video, and a rap song on the theme, "Life Is Better." "Today in the City of Gori at the Public School no. 12 we are concluding our Campaign that is a very positive one and has all the positive messages - Life is Better, it is indeed yours, the choice is in your hands and it is up to you to live your life in a such a manner that you achieve all your goals and aspirations for your own benefit, for the benefit of your families, your schools and the society at large", declared Ms. Ilyana Derilova, IOM Georgia, Chief of Mission, "This Campaign also provided us a great opportunity to hear your voice, pieces of your wisdom, your thoughts and your emotions that are valued and respected."

Youth, Health

Substance abuse by children is a growing problem in Georgia, posing greater risk to those children who are marginalised, such as migrant, ethnic minority, and internally displaced youth. The National Centre for Disease Control reports that almost half of school children aged 13 to 16 have smoked cigarettes, 85% have tried alcohol, and 11% have used cannabis at least once. The most prevalent drugs other than marijuana among Georgian students are tranquilizers and sedatives consumed without a doctor's prescription, according to Dr. Lela Sturua, Head of Non-Communicable Diseases Department of the NCDC, who confirmed that substance abuse among Georgian youth was higher than the average for European countries.

"How you deal with substance abuse and how your school deals with substance abuse and how your government deals with substance abuse will determine whether your country succeeds or fails", said Mike McMahon, Director of INL, US Embassy – Tbilisi while addressing schoolchildren, their teachers, and parents during the concluding event of the Campaign at the City of Gori. "Smoking tobacco, abusing alcohol, using narcotics will have a significant detrimental effect on your health, your future and everything around you. This is very important to understand! Countries with the highest unemployment and the worst economy have the highest degree of substance abuse. Therefore, your country is your responsibility!"

According to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA): "Prevention is evidence-based socialization, where the primary focus is placed on individual decision making with respect to socially appropriate behaviours. Its aim is not solely to prevent substance abuse, but also to delay initiation, reduce its intensification and deal with child and adolescent development."