According to United Nations’ international standards, “Drug-free country” is the term used to describe the country with less than 20 drug offenders per 100,000 people. However, the number of habitual drug offenders has long exceeded 540,000 (as for 2021 Drug Usage Statistics) in Korea, where drugs are completely illegal regardless of age. As drug offenders in their 10s and 20s in particular have extensively soared within last 3 years, multiple NGOs and the national government points out that it has become very important work for our society to keep an eye on those relatively young drug offenders. According to expert research, most young drug offenders often experience drug usage becoming "socialized" due to internal pressure among unspecified groups, resulting in the uncontrollable drug trade and rising of the black market. In addition, many experts claim that people in their 10s and 20s are currently living in an environment where they are too easily exposed to drugs through media or various types of SNS. Drugs that are difficult to escape with people’s own determination own once they experience it- thus, the government emphasizes that our society should strive for early education on the dangers of illegal drugs.
Gyeonggi Association Against Drug Abuse (GAADA) is Korea's authorized organization established in 1990s, which is before when the official drug-preventive activities, treatment, and rehabilitation programs were made. GAADA is aiming for warning social indifference against drug abuse and making a drug-free society. Their main job includes rehabilitation projects, international cooperation with other NGOs, and especially, youth-centered anti-drug abuse education. However, as COVID-19 crisis brought difficulties in receiving monetary support (funding), they are having a difficult time carrying out those affairs.
Benjamin Franklin once said, "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest". Because we believe anti-drug abuse education is one of the essential elements in keeping our society clean without further drug exploitation, we decided to open crowdfunding, aiming for donating the profit to KAADA.
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