NSW Youth Seminar – Drugs and Alcohol

NSW Youth Seminar – Drugs and Alcohol

Schofields Church – 15 November 2015

SAY NO AND STAY CLEAN!

1 Corinthians 10:31 – “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 

On Sunday 15th of November 2015, the SDARM held a drugs and alcohol seminar hosted by Alison Jaworski from the Drug and Alcohol Multicultural Education Centre. It commenced around 10:00am and finished by 12:00pm followed by a light potluck lunch which was enjoyed by all.

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The seminar was targeted at our youth; however, the turnout was made up of a few youth members and a lot of young at hearts. Overall, the seminar was very useful for our general knowledge as some of us didn’t know what these types of drugs can do to your life. The use of drugs, tobacco and alcohol can cause you to lose your ability to remember things, to think clearly and to study properly. It gives you the impression that you are more alert and aware, but under the influence of drugs you are actually less aware and less alert. The type of drugs we face and hear about these days range from the use of ice, marijuana, tobacco, alcohol, medical prescriptions, caffeine and so many more that we learnt about this very day.

At the start of the seminar, Alison handed out A4 banners to most of us with the names of a particular drug on each sheet as part of her activity, quiz and a quick study. We were then put into five different groups and each group had to discuss what type of effects or reactions this drug can have on you. For example: our group had Marijuana, and we agreed that its effect/reaction can cause bad breath, loss of appetite, dehydration, energy increase, addiction and the list goes on. After that, each group had to select a member to go up in front of everyone and share what their group came up with. This activity was interesting and a lot of fun! It definitely got some of us youth talking, that’s for sure. Some even got into a debate!

It is obvious that the use of any type of drugs, tobacco and alcohol can make you ill, and an overdose of either one can kill you. Without a doubt, they are all poisonous, dangerous and have all sorts of chemicals and substances that can literally twist your mind. In today’s society, we see that the majority of the youth in this world who are completely addicted to these sorts of drugs as well as tobacco and alcohol, drop out of this world, one by one. This has a huge impact on the families and loved ones left behind, all because of these dangerous elements.

We have been warned by the Word of God from the beginning that we ought to take care of our bodies without taking these sorts of things. These drugs are clearly the act of the devil, so we need to be very careful, as looks can be deceiving. We need to remember that our bodies belong to Christ; and everything we do to our bodies, we do to His temple, where he dwells. Our actions are also what differentiate us from the rest of the world.

So to all our youth out there, simply Say NO to DRUGS and ALCOHOL!

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are brought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s”. 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20. 

 ~ Jenny Foaese