Accra, March 1, GNA - Mr Clark Carr, President of Narconon International, drug rehabilitation and education non-governmental organization (NGO), has called on agents involved in HIV/AIDS education to include anti-drug education in their programmes since these two social problems were interrelated.

"The fight against the HIV/AIDS menace cannot achieve any meaningful results if it does not include anti-drug messages," he said, adding that some people, who contracted the deadly disease, did so under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Mr Carr made the call during the inauguration of Narconon Ghana in Accra at the weekend.

Naconon International, which operates in 37 countries, has 120 centres worldwide with its staff working tirelessly to get the truth about drugs relayed to young people.

Mr Carr said Narconon staffs were delivering drug education presentations to over 10,000 students weekly, while a thousand more students receive video presentations in schools.

He added that Narconon drug education booklets, such as the "10 Things Your Friends May Not Know About Drugs", are being distributed in 15 languages in over 30 countries.

Mr Carr said Narconon Ghana is the first to be launched in the West Africa Sub-Region and called on Ghanaian officials to assist the NGO to fight the drug menace in the country.

He advised the youth not to indulge in the smoking of cigarette since it would eventually lead them to take to hard drugs, such as Indian hemp, cocaine and heroine.

Mr Carr noted that Ghana was lucky that the drug problem was not that much and said that this offered the authorities and NGOs an advantage to launch an onslaught on it.

He also called for a coordinated effort by all the NGOs in order not to confuse the general public about their messages.

Mr Carr also condemned self-medication and advised Ghanaians to always see their doctors for prescriptions before buying drugs. Mr Joe Appiah, Executive Director of Narconon Ghana, said the NGO, which was established in Ghana in 2002, was now working especially in schools and churches in the Greater-Accra, Eastern and Western Regions.

He advised the youth not to allow their friends to influence them to indulge in smoking, since such a practice could ruin their lives.