National Addictions Awareness Day
In 2013, NAMS started the NAAD initiative as part of its continuous effort to raise public awareness of addictions.
NAAD aims to:
- Create a national platform to observe addiction awareness.
- Leverage on NAMS’ partners, the media and public events to raise addictions awareness amongst the general public, in particular Singapore residents.
- Work towards eliminating prejudice against people with addiction issues through public education.
- Encourage people with addiction struggles to seek help.
The inaugural NAAD was a one-day outdoor event to educate the public and reach out to the community. Besides partnering various relevant key community stakeholders and government agencies which are involved in addiction therapy, NAMS also planned to expand the scale of NAAD to an annual event by collaborating with the Community Development Councils (CDCs).
NAAD is organised with a focus on addiction prevention, emphasising on early detection and intervention. It is an avenue for NAMS to narrow the addiction treatment gap which reflects the difference between the number of people who need treatment and those who actually receive it. As part of a multipronged approach to public education, NAMS conducted a series of awareness talks, workshops and roadshows for community partners, schools, Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), and other external agencies to help these entities gain knowledge and build capabilities in addiction related areas.
