Gyeongnam Office of Education, "Healthy Weight Management Instead of Appetite Suppressants!"

Organizing Harmful Substance Prevention Education with at Least 5 Sessions Annually in the Curriculum

Gyeongnam Office of Education. / Photo by Se-ryeong Lee ryeong@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] The Gyeongnam Office of Education is strengthening preventive education to block the misuse of drugs such as narcotic appetite suppressants.

Recently, appetite suppressants designated as narcotics have been sold or purchased mainly by teenagers on social networking services (SNS), leading to arrests by the police.

The provincial Office of Education has incorporated more than five sessions annually of preventive education on harmful drugs, focusing on narcotics and cyber addiction, into the curriculum based on the "7 Standard Guidelines for School Safety Education."

In cooperation with the Gyeongnam Pharmaceutical Association, pharmacists who are experts in narcotic drugs will visit each school to conduct education.

For teachers, related training will be held from July 1 to 2 at KB Jenaeum in Sacheon City, Gyeongnam, to prevent teenagers from illegally selling or purchasing narcotic appetite suppressants and to enhance the capabilities of the responsible teachers.

The training will cover topics such as "The Reality and Trends of Youth Drug Misuse" by Kim Daegyu, head of the Metropolitan Investigation Unit at Gyeongnam Police Agency; "Life Recovered from Drugs" by Han Busik, director of Gimhae Darc Ribbon House; and "Practical Drug Misuse Prevention Education and Life Guidance" by Lee Junghui, a teacher at Gyeongnam Tourism High School.

Last year, the Gyeongnam Office of Education developed and distributed educational materials, videos, and webtoons for middle and high school students to enhance the substance of narcotics prevention education among harmful youth drugs.

This time, they plan to develop weight management educational materials for elementary, middle, and high school students, as well as a standard program for managing childhood obesity, to help students manage their weight healthily without relying on appetite suppressants.

Ha Jeonghwa, Director of the Department of Physical Education, Arts, and Health, said, "We will continue to systematically provide harmful drug prevention education and actively strive to create safe schools."