Representatives of the Government of the Republic of Serbia’s Office for Combating Drugs attended a symposium organized by the Police Officers and Citizens Association “Safe Community” on November 20, 2024, at the amphitheater of the Faculty of Law and Business Studies “Dr. Lazar Vrkatić” in Novi Sad, titled “Youth Without Addiction”.
The symposium was organized as part of a project supported by the City of Novi Sad, the City Health Department, in cooperation with the Government of Serbia’s Office for Combating Drugs.
The purpose of the symposium was to inform attendees about the types of psychoactive substances available on the market, the consequences of their abuse on individuals’ mental and physical health, with the aim of raising awareness of the harms of substance abuse and promoting a healthy lifestyle.
In addition to the representatives of the Office, the symposium also featured participants from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and representatives from the civil society organization “Reto Has Hope.”
The symposium was divided into two parts. The first part focused on a lecture about the abuse of psychoactive substances, with a special emphasis on contemporary trends in substance abuse, particularly among youth aged 15 to 34. After the theoretical part, the participants had the opportunity to hear from one of the representatives of the civil society organization “Reto Has Hope” about their long and challenging journey to recovery from addiction. Following the formal part of the symposium, a panel discussion was held, during which the participants were able to offer suggestions, raise concerns, and engage in an exchange of experiences with the speakers.