THIS summer is hot and the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) is taking a refreshing approach to drug awareness and public education, surprising commuters and pedestrians all over by popping up, unannounced and serving them a thirst-quenching non-alcoholic drink while sharing useful drug information.

Dubbed Take 5, NCDA invited the public to take a five-minute break from the heat, in their chill lounge and have a drink while chatting with a field officer or volunteer about the finding of the recent National Secondary School Survey (NSSS) 2013, all at no cost.

Take 5 began in mid July and is set to run until the end of August, popping up in city and town centres across the island. In addition to sharing the findings of the recent National Secondary School Survey, the public is given parenting tips and information about how to access the services of the NCDA by staff members on location.

Michael Tucker, executive director for the NCDA, said the initiative was designed to meet the people where they were and strengthen the Council’s presence in the parishes; and that the finding of the NSSS on the significant impact of parenting on youth drug use in particular needed to be shared with people of all walks of life.

Results of the NSS survey, which was conducted in close to 40 secondary institutions in 2013, highlight that parental involvement and engagement in their adolescents life significantly lowered frequency of use and misuse of alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana. Results also indicated that those adolescents who had poorer relationships with their fathers were more likely to report alcohol, cigarette and marijuana use over various periods.

One university student who was approached at the pop-up in Papine, St Andrew said: “I feel like it was personal and a cool way to talk to people about drugs, I didn’t feel pressured at all.”

The Take 5 initiative is supported by Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO); Happy Ice; Transformed Life Church; and Grace Kennedy.