Health Division kicks off drug awareness, prevention activities

THE Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Programme (ADAPP), under the Division of Health, Wellness and Social Protection (DHWSP), will be hosting a series of educational initiatives and activities on drug awareness and prevention, as well as substance misuse, set to begin this month and run until June 2026.

In a news release on January 14, the DHWSP said, “This community drug prevention initiative will target primary school students, parents and health centre clients in six districts across Tobago, aimed at strengthening drug prevention efforts among these three priority groups. The primary school sessions will focus specifically on Standard Three students, providing age-appropriate information about drugs, refusal skills and healthy alternatives. There will also be presentations to the respective Parent Teachers Association (PTA) which will strengthen parents’ ability to recognise warning signs, create supportive environments at home, and be able to talk to their children about drugs.“

The Health Centre outreach will include drug screening, interventions where necessary, referrals to ensure at-risk individuals receive timely support and presentations on drug awareness.

Another activity on ADAPP’s 2026 calendar is Drug Awareness Week (DAW) to be held from February 9-12.

“DAW is one of the key activities by ADAPP, and the Division, to reduce substance misuse through education and community outreach. This year, the focus will be on the connection between substance use and stress,” the release said.

The week of activities will begin with Standard Four students across four primary schools (February 9 and 10), where the ADAPP team will use participatory tools such as Trinity SMART videos, Fatal Vision Goggles, and Smoker’s Lung and Mouth Specimens. February 11 is dubbed Drug Awareness Media Day.

Through live interviews on traditional and social media, the team will spread awareness and engage a wider audience on drug awareness and prevention activities.

The release said the week will close with an Expo on February 12 at the Lowlands Mall that is open to the general public. Several stakeholders will be present including the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) and other agencies involved in substance use prevention.

For further information on these activities and other services provided by the ADAPP Unit, call 639-3395; Ext. 47075 or 47076