A march was held in Üsküdar as part of the "World Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking"

Istanbul Deputy Governor Hasan Gözen, Provincial Health Directorate Public Health Services Director Dr. Mehmet Burhan Küçükoğlu, Yeşilay General President Mehmet Dinç, Yeşilay volunteers, Narcotics Crimes Department personnel and citizens participated in the march that started in front of the Maiden's Tower.

During the march, banners reading "Get your strength from yourself, not from drugs", "Be addicted to hope, not drugs", "Be addicted for your loved ones" were carried, while a banner reading "If you are not addicted, you are free" was unfurled.

Deputy Governor Gözen, who made a statement after the march that ended at the Üsküdar coast, said that they organized this program to raise awareness about the fight against drugs and to ensure that the society knows what addiction is.

Gözen emphasized that the fight against drugs has been increasing in recent years and said, "Developing and changing world conditions, increasing communication opportunities and our people who have the chance to see every part of the world have somehow started to be interested in addiction areas under the influence of Western culture. While addiction and drugs were not known in many cities of Anatolia before, they have now become a disease, a malady that has spread to the lower levels of our schools. We are fighting very seriously for this."

Stating that the fight against drugs is being carried out effectively, Gözen said that the fight against drugs has recently reached a remarkable point in society.

Gözen noted that the security forces were fighting with an understanding that would not allow "poison dealers" and added:

"In order to reduce the demand for drugs and addiction, public institutions and organizations are increasing awareness in society and ensuring that demand decreases. The main thing is for mothers, fathers and everyone who is responsible to do their part on the path to addiction. Children have become people who are locked in their own rooms and whose lives are unknown in their own world. For this reason, our National Education community and our readers are working very seriously and are informing mothers and fathers, but this is not enough. As a society, we need to increase our level of consciousness and awareness.

As the Istanbul Governorship, we are working in every field from sports to health, from planning the areas of education activities outside of school, to protect and save our youth and children from areas they may be addicted to, with projects that we carry out closely with our 39 district governors. This disease, this bad habit that has spread to our families, needs to be removed from our society. In a country as dynamic as Turkey, where everyone passes through it for different purposes, our most protected fortress should be our family.

Provincial Health Directorate Public Health Services Director Küçükoğlu also reported that the "Provincial Coordination Board for Combating Addiction", chaired by Governor Davut Gül, continues its work on both the treatment of addicts and the supply of addictive substances.

Küçükoğlu, who stated that individuals were given training in 39 addiction solidarity units in the city, said, "We continue our struggle in our 12-bed detoxification center, 6 of which are public and 6 of which are private. In the first 5 months of 2025, we accepted 65 thousand adult and 4 thousand child patients to our detoxification centers; we continue their treatment."

Green Crescent Chairman Dinç also said that they are here to show their determination not to leave anyone to addiction.

Drawing attention to the fact that the most difficult thing that can happen to a person is addiction, Dinç said, "Addiction is when a person places their own enemy inside themselves. It is when the enemy eats them up, finishes them off, both physically, spiritually, work and in terms of relationships. We came together today in the organization of our Governorship to show that we are by their side, that we are their helper, so that none of our people will experience this difficulty or face these troubles."

Stating that they are fighting addiction day and night in their branches, Dinç shared the following:

"As the Green Crescent, we demand 3 things from our people: First of all, if one of our brothers, young people, people is addicted, they should not hesitate. We have a Green Crescent Counseling Center that provides free and confidential services in 105 locations in Türkiye. We have supported 81 thousand people so far. We have conducted over 400 thousand free psychotherapy sessions. If one of our brothers is addicted in 105 locations, they can get support without hesitation. If there is an addict in the environment, family, relatives of one of our brothers, then let them hold his hand, get behind him, and take him to the Green Crescent Counseling Centers. Because sometimes addicts cannot find the courage to take that step. If we are not addicted, and there are no addicts around us, then I call on everyone to support, participate in, increase the visibility of civil society activities organized by our Green Crescent branches and our volunteer unit so that no one else becomes addicted, and help everyone live the culture of independence to the fullest."

On the other hand, informative stands were also set up in the square as part of the fight against drugs.