“The NGOs have great responsibilities”

Vienna Consul General of the Republic of Turkey Asip Kaya stated that they would always fight against drugs and that families, teachers, associations and NGOs also have great responsibilities.

 “Families are desperate”

Osman Atalay presented his researches on the subject to the participants. Stating that the most important responsibility lies in families, Atalay underlined that divorced couples should be more careful in the development of their children and said, “Even if the couples divorce, they should not divorce their children”. Apart from drug addiction, Atalay also spoke about addictions of gambling, tobacco, alcohol and technology (gadgets). Atalay further explained:

It does not seem possible for Turkish families in Europe to do all the fight against drug and gambling addiction that is threatening the future of their children. Families are desperate... while the problem of drug addiction grows deep inside, it is covered up and constantly kept secret. Families are looking for hope for their children whom are lost to these addictions… It is their natural right to expect politicians who come to Europe frequently at election times to have a sincere, realistic approach to this problem. The drug problem, which has become a very serious health issue in Europe, has targeted our young people… This problem needs to be seriously addressed by our official institutions.”

Atalay completed his speech as follows:

"The European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)’s ‘2019 European Drug Report' on 28 European Union (EU) Member States including Turkey and Norway is worth being taken seriously by Turkish migrants. In Europe, cannabis and cocaine are used the most according to the findings. The report says that 17.5 million people aged 15-34 in Europe use cannabis and 2.6 million people use cocaine, and in 2017, almost 1 percent of those over the age of 15 in EU countries tend to use cannabis daily.”