This is what the Anti Drug Alliance (ADA), a group of like-minded professionals within the drug treatment, drug intervention and drug education arenas, believe.
Quintin van Kerken, founder of ADA South Africa, a non-profit organisation, says there are many communities who have lost the war against drugs, but George still has a chance and for that reason they opened a centre at 123 Merriman Street.
Van Kerken, from Johannesburg, says besides educating the community and ensuring that those caught in the grip of addiction get the best treatment that works, parents and educators need to be honest about drugs and its usage.
"During my talks at schools I tell kids exactly how I felt when I was using. You feel good and happy, but I also tell them about the destruction it causes. I tell them the truth.
"One must also remember that anyone, people like you and me, can become an addict. Addicts are just regular people stuck in a bad place," he says.
He himself battled with drug addiction for almost 10 years but has been clean the last six years.
ADA is currently in the process of training life coaches in George in the latest techniques for working with addicts and their families.
They offer school talks, corporate training, intervention services, counselling services, drug testing services at a fraction of the cost in relation to laboratory test, advice and treatment programmes to addicts and their families.
Van Kerken says drug addiction is a family problem, and not only the drug addict’s problem.
"It won’t help only working and couselling the addict - problems with the family in most cases are the reason for addicts using. Addiction does not only affect the addict, it affects the whole family," he says.
Van Kerken’s mother, Shirley, urged fa-milies to share their pain and said addicts need not be silent of ashamed of their addiction.
She also of thanked Allison Botha, well-known inspirational speaker and rape survivor, for donating the premises for them to use as their offices.
Alison said she tried selling the house in Merriman Street a few times, but when she heard about ADA and that they needed premises she thought that it would be perfect for them.
Shirley also thanked The Rose Restaurant in York Street for donating the delicious food and the Lion’s Club for some furniture they loaned.
ADA has a 24-hour helpline - 011 039 0686 - and George will be getting one in the near future.
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ADA’s life coaches, from left, Maritza Attwell, Tia Neethling, Debbie Grey, Marilize Meyer, Chris Neethling, Debbie de Klerk and Shirley van Kerken. Photo: Lizette da Silva
This is how the teeth of a "tik" user looks after continuous use.
ARTICLE: LIZETTE DA SILVA
