“Send a Message; Stay Drug Free”
A week-long of activities promoting drug awareness at Canaan High School on Coney Drive in Belize City concluded today with a parade through the streets of the city. One hundred and two students from first to third form marched to send a message and say no to drugs as the band led the procession while students carried posters. News Five spoke with Principal Pat Nembhard who says that in its fourth edition, the school had to re-strategise because a number of their adult students have been negatively affected by the decriminalization of up to ten grams of marijuana.
Pat Nembhard
Pat Nembhard, Principal, Canaan High School
“We culminated with the parade. This is just to give awareness to the public and young people on a whole; that drugs kills and stay away from drugs. So that’s the basic theme for this week: “Send a Message, Stay Drug Free.”
Duane Moody
“Now this is the fourth year that you guys are doing it. Talk to us about how important it is for the students to be aware of all these factors because as teenagers they are going through all this where they are being pressured.”
Pat Nembhard
“To be honest with you, since the government passed that law about the amount of grams that is legal, we have noticed that we had to do some extra work with our children because we found out that they are trying to use the drugs because they have it at home now; it is more rampant in the home. So it gave us at Canaan more work cause now we have to talk to the students, educate them about the drugs and how it affects their minds. Coming to school high on weed is not helping and other types of drugs that they are using. So it is more work for us, but we are doing what we can to educate them that drugs kill and you have to make sure that you do not participate in these activities. Even under peer pressure, you have to be the bigger person; you have to tell them, you know what, we cannot do this. We are sending this message today. I will not take the drugs and we are seeing a lot of changes since then. And that’s why we are doing this every year; the parade and other activities that we do.”
There are two hundred and ninety students enrolled at Canaan High School.
