The former Portuguese football player Pedro Resendes (known as Pauleta) participated on Thursday in the awareness raising campaign on the prevention of alcohol and tobacco abuse as well as of other harmful substances which was addressed at 9th form students from Terceira Island.

This campaign is part of a regional initiative of the Government of the Azores to prevent and combat the excessive consumption of these substances amongst youngsters.

The initiative counts upon the support of the Sanjoaninas Commission under the slogan “Faz a festa sem excessos” (Make the parties without excesses) with the purpose of passing the message that having fun is possible does not involve the consumption of alcohol, tobacco or illicit drugs.

Pauleta gave testimony of his personal experience, saying that he has never needed these substances to be happy and he mentioned the case of one of his teammates in Spain, who was a formidable player - “better than Messi or Ronaldo” – but  whose career was short and mediocre due to alcohol consumption.

The campaign, undertaken by the Regional Directorate for Prevention and Combat to the dependences, will continue throughout the Azores with the organisation of joint initiatives.