Heart of the Matter Podcast: Is Singapore's anti-drug messaging resonating with our young?

[LaksaNews]

There’s been a worrying rise in the number of young people arrested for drug abuse, says the Central Narcotics Bureau. How should anti-drug messaging be tailored better to suit a generation that’s consuming a largely social media diet?

Otelli Edwards finds out from Dr Lambert Low, deputy chief of the department of addiction medicine in the Institute of Mental Health, Ravindran Nagalingam, board member at the National Council Against Drug Abuse and Tham Yuen Han, clinical director at WE CARE Community Services.

Ravindran Nagalingam:

It's changed now because parents aren't the source of information anymore ... you're left with your social circles, your peers. You're looking at social media, you're looking at pop culture, which glorifies the use of, for example, cannabis.

Tham Yuen Han:

We don't go in saying drugs are bad, don't do this, because we know that ... for young people, that's a turnoff ... the approach that we tend to take with younger people ... is to engage with them in open conversation.

Host Otelli Edwards (extreme left) with her guests, Dr Lambert Low, deputy chief of the department of addiction medicine in the Institute of Mental Health, Tham Yuen Han, clinical director at WE CARE Community Services and Ravindran Nagalingam, board member at the National Council Against Drug Abuse. (Photo: CNA/Junaini Johari)
Dr Lambert Low:

To address something as complicated (and) serious as drug use (among) our youth … (needs) possibly more than just messaging, it's really how we help our youth find meaning in their lives.

Jump to these key moments:

2:38 When should we talk to our kids about drugs?

4:43 Starting with the right message

9:41 Impact of social media

13:24 How to talk about drugs to our kids

Find more episodes of Heart of the Matter here.

A new episode of Heart of the Matter drops every Friday. Follow the podcast on Apple or Spotify for the latest updates.

Have a great topic for us? Drop the team an email at cnapodcasts [at] mediacorp.com.sg

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