A panel discussion was conducted on Thursday, April 11, 2024., addressing students from the Technical School in Smederevo.

The event, hosted at the Smederevo Cultural Center, attracted over a thousand high school students, providing them with valuable insights into combating addiction.

Jovan Vojnović, representing the Office for Drug Control of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, delivered the opening address. He underscored the significance of prevention efforts and reaffirmed the Office’s commitment to supporting initiatives that positively influence youth. Aleksandar Janić, serving as program coordinator and lecturer, elucidated the pervasive impact of addiction on various facets of life, employing personal anecdotes to illustrate its detrimental effects. Lazar Strugar, another featured speaker, discussed the rehabilitation process and strategies for combatting drug abuse. Attendees engaged in interactive discussions with the speakers and offered feedback on a film addressing the concept of prevention. Given the sizable turnout, multiple prevention sessions were conducted in two shifts on the same day.

These endeavors were orchestrated by the civil society organization “Marita – Western Balkans” with the overarching goal of galvanizing and rallying other educational institutions to join the collective fight against addiction.