Social welfare head criticises energy drink adverts
The chief executive officer of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, Joe Gerada, said it is regrettable that importers of beverages such as the Cocaine, an energy drink, are allowed to place adverts that neutralise the good work that teachers and Sedqa carry out to educate child-ren against drug misuse.
Mr Gerada said Sedqa will continue to object to the marketing of drinks that carry names that have connotations of illegal drugs.
He said people involved in such an activity should be ashamed of themselves.
Mr Gerada was speaking at a Sedqa event during which certificates were presented to over 500 primary schoolchildren who this summer participated in Sedqa's programmes held by the agency's prevention services as part of Skola Sajf 2008, in collaboration with the Education Department.
This is the eighth consecutive year in which Sedqa is taking part in Skola Sajf. This programme was delivered in eight schools between July and September. Topics covered were family, school, friends and internet addiction.
The participating primary schools this year were Birkirkara, Siġġiewi, Żebbuġ, Rabat, Naxxar, Mosta, Attard and Santa Venera.
For more information on Sedqa's prevention programmes, one can contact the Prevention Team on 2388 5110 or visit the agency's website www.sedqa. gov.mt.
Sedqa is part of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, which also incorporates Aġenzija Appoġġ (www.appogg.gov.mt) and Aġenzija Sapport (www.sapport.gov.mt).
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Tanja Cilia
Oct 12th 2008, 20:17
What's in a name? The fact is that most of us do not even need energy drinks at all, since our energy expenditure during exercise is relatively negligible. The harm begins when they are used indiscriminately, or even as mixers - where, whichever brand they are, they will exacerbate the effect of the alcohol.
Jean Claude Micallef
Oct 9th 2008, 19:47
As a TV presenter, I have always & will always encourage agencies like Sedqa to deliver a message that strengthens our society in order to be more open minded, fight ignorance and social poverty.
On this issue I have to point out that Sedqa is off the ball. I am totally concerned that instead of fighting the drug problem, Mr.Gerada's policies are undermining the right of expression and even worse discriminating between one product and another. By EU Laws any product on the market has the right to advertise irrelevant to its name & material.
It is stupid if we try to deal the drug problem in a "scrabble" way & not teaching in an effective modern way our generations. It is ridiculous to aim a harsh campaign against a product entitled Cocaine Energy Drink with the fear that it pushes youths to drug usage... then what kind of lessons is Sedqa giving if the agency itself is sceptic that its students are not capable to distinguish a drug from an energy drink?!
Lets tackle the problem directly on field & update ourselves as an EU member state!
Geoff Wize
Sep 7th 2008, 22:14
What about POISON and OPIUM Perfume are you going to ban that also??? What about Monster Energy Drink MONSTER is the street term for Cocaine the drug.
kevin Dirke
Sep 7th 2008, 01:18
What a shame that this so called energy drink is being sold in Malta. The relevant authorities in Britian made sure that this drink would not be sold in Britian and i feel that the government of Malta should follow suit.
Geoff Wize
Sep 6th 2008, 22:37
Cocaine Energy Drink, If this guy wants to ban this Drink then so should CocaCola be also banned, what part of the drink CocaCola has Coca in it? yes Coca the Leaf used to make Cocaine formally used in Coke or CocaCola in the early 1900's.
J. Spiteri
Sep 6th 2008, 18:11
It's a real shame that great efforts made by persons like Joe Gerada do not seem to be appreciated by the authorities. Is it because government loses its share of income from the sale of such products? Or is it because such products are imported by some privileged individual for whom money comes before our youngsters" well being?
Joe Grima
Sep 6th 2008, 15:06
I am surprised that there hasn't been a spate of blog suppport for Joe Grrada's stand against energy drinks named after hard drugs. Joe Gerada is absolutely right and his complaint serves to illiustrate the point that while Sedqa puts enormous time and effort to keep young people away from drug abuse, Government allows the publicising of drug named energy drinks on huge billboards all over the Island, openly and with impunity. Where is the Miinister for Social welfare? Busy with some photo op?