Medan Deputy Mayor: Monitoring Children's Gadgets Key to Preventing Drug Abuse

Medan (ANTARA) - Deputy Mayor of Medan Zakiyuddin Harahap has reminded parents to increase supervision of their children’s gadget use to prevent exposure to and abuse of narcotics, which are increasingly targeting young people through digital spaces.

Speaking at an arts performance for SMP and SMA Yayasan Perguruan Al-Hikmah in Medan on Saturday, Zakiyuddin stressed that parental oversight is a crucial step in protecting children from various online threats.

‘Strict supervision is something important that parents must do. So check our children’s gadgets,’ said Zakiyuddin.

He stated that monitoring children’s digital activities is one of the efforts to prevent the circulation of narcotics, which is now more actively targeting teenagers and students.

He revealed that according to reports from the North Sumatra Provincial National Narcotics Agency (BNNP), drug traffickers often seek potential victims through internet activities, including when children play online games.

‘So, supervise our children from the dangers of drugs through internet use,’ he said.

According to him, online gambling and narcotics are two serious issues that must be eradicated because they can destroy the nation’s generation.

‘I remind my children, do not touch drugs and online gambling,’ he said.

A similar warning was previously issued by the North Sumatra BNNP, which asked parents to increase supervision of their children when using the internet, especially when playing online games.

BNNP North Sumatra Senior Investigator Police Grand Commissioner M. Fadris Sangun Ratu Lapa explained that drug traffickers are now utilising various digital platforms to seek and ensnare new users.

According to Fadris, communication features available in online games are often exploited by traffickers to approach people, particularly the younger generation, and invite them to use narcotics.

Therefore, he assessed that the role of parents is very important in supervising children’s activities in the digital space so that they are not exposed to various forms of cybercrime or drug abuse.

To prevent drug abuse among the younger generation, the Medan city government is actively conducting drug awareness campaigns in schools. In addition to education, the government is also strengthening prevention efforts through joint patrols in locations suspected of being drug distribution sites.