Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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New Vision (Kampala) - November 19, 2007
Alfred Wasike & Moses Mulondo
Speaking at the Youth Forum at Entebbe, chairperson Baker Mobafa of Trinidad & Tobago, said: "We can't run away from these grim facts. Our continued health and survival into adulthood are at risk, largely because of our behaviour."
The World Health Organisation, he said, had established that alcohol was the most widely consumed drug in the world. He added that half of the youth aged 15 years and above had consumed alcohol in the past year. "In the UK, young people between 16 and 24 are the heaviest drinkers and the least likely to abstain."
Despite its harmful effects, Mobafa said more than a billion people smoke tobacco worldwide. "Heavy alcohol consumption and drug use reduce productivity and increase absenteeism."
He said AIDS remains the leading cause of death among youth aged 15 to 24 years worldwide.
"Abstinence should be promoted. There is nothing to lose when you abstain but the opposite puts your life in danger of HIV/AIDS."
Mobafa was supported by Uganda's Suzan Abbo who said: "Abstinence is the best method of HIV prevention. It lays a foundation for faithfulness in marriage because it equips a person with the experience of self-control."
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