Plans to fight drug use among youth unveiled

Dubai Police form committee to establish rehabilitation centre for treating addicts, block 91 websites that sold controlled medicines in 3 years.

By Amira Agarib/principal Correspondent

Published: Mon 29 Jun 2015, 12:37 AM

Last updated: Wed 8 Jul 2015, 2:50 PM

Photo courtesy: Paul Damien/Corbis Images

Dubai - The Dubai Police blocked 91 websites that sold medicines, including controlled and semi-controlled ones, in the last three years.

The police blocked these sites in cooperation with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, a top official revealed on Saturday.

Addressing a Press conference on the occasion of World Day to Combat Drugs, Colonel Eid Mohammed Thani Hareb, Director of the General Department of Anti-Narcotics of the Dubai Police, said the police are planning a smart awareness campaign to fight drug use among the youth.

The first-of-its-kind initiative will be introduced in three universities this year, and in all universities in Dubai in the next academic year.

The police have also formed a committee to study the establishment of a rehabilitation centre for treating drug addicts.

The department, Col Hareb said, recorded 1,267 drug cases last year, which led to the seizure of 487kg of drugs and 24.53 million narcotic pills with the arrest of 1,667 suspects. In 2013, the police recorded 1,114 cases, which led to the seizure of 521kg of drugs and 55 million narcotic pills with the arrest of 1,461 suspects. In the first quarter of this year, the police arrested 432 suspects, recorded 314 cases and seized 57kg of drugs.

Of these, 43 suspects were aged between 14 to 20 years, while 138 were aged between 12 to 25 years.

Last year, most of the drug users — 506 — were aged between 21 to 25 years, while 441 were aged between 26 to 30 years. “These numbers confirm that the youth needs care and awareness,” said Col Hareb. “The main cause of youths turning to drugs are bad friends, desire to experience, family disintegration and lack of religion.” He said over the past three years, the anti-narcotics department appointed 95 young men and women as ambassadors to spread awareness among the youth about the dangers of drug addiction.

The police have been providing financial assistance to 15 recovering addicts and their families, and gave them Dh14,000 last year.

The Dubai Police helped international police forces bust 192 drug-related cases last year, while in 2013, the police helped crack 217 cases. - amira@khaleejtimes.com