A consultant at the ministry of sport and youth affairs noted that 30% of youth are prone to social harm since they are unemployed. Therefore, organizing their leisure time is critical to prevent them from getting addicted to drugs and other vices.
"The only solution to tackle youth problems is to view them as social issues rather than allowing them to be addressed by government authority," public relations office of Drug Control Headquarters quoted Mohammad Reza Rostami as saying.
He stressed that if and when drug addiction becomes a public concern dealt with voluntarily by the people, fighting it would be easier and far more effective.
Basis for adopting such an approach by people and civil society should be founded by the government through efficient legislation and creating grounds for investment by private sector and civil institutions to prevent social ills, he said.
Rostami further said lack of attention to youth and planning their leisure activities is regrettable.
He pointed out that 24 organizations in the provinces are in charge of youth affairs in the country. Every year the ministry sends new proposals on leisure activities to elicit opinion and suggest model programs.
The environment for social presence of people especially youth should be facilitated. Young artists should be able to perform freely though within the framework of law. This prevents them from going 'underground' and reinforces their social growth, he concluded.
