JAKARTA: More than 100 students from 50 high schools across the city took part in an anti-drugs campaign to mark International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which fell on Friday, at Atrium Plaza Semanggi in Central Jakarta.

National Narcotics Agency (BNN) education and information head, Sapari, expressed concern over the increased drug abuse in the city.

"Jakarta has some of the highest rates of drug abuse in the country," he said.

He added the increasing number was mostly because of lack of awareness of the dangers, which needed to be strongly enforced by families to indoctrinate children.

The event was supported by the BNN.

An NGO focusing on drug prevention campaigns, Yayasan Cinta Anak Bangsa (YCAB), also held a writing contest involving more than 70 pieces under the theme "If you were parents, what would you do to prevent your children from using narcotics?"

Iskandar Hukom of the YCAB called for teachers at school to give sound understanding to their students on the hazardous drugs.

"Teachers in charge for coun-seling must be well-prepared to give necessary advice to the students," Iskandar said.

According to the BNN, more than 40 percent of drug addicts started out taking drugs at the age of 16.

As of last year, it said there were more than 3.5 million drug addicts in the country, with 40 people dying each day because of drug abuse. -JP

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