Last Thursday, the participants of the Ministry of Interior’s council held under the slogan “The Impact of Drugs on Youth” recommended the need to strengthen the role of media in raising awareness about the dangers of drugs. Participants highlighted the prevalent role of social media and how it attracts the highest percentage of public from all ages and social segments. The council comes as a part of the awareness councils organized by the Law Respect Culture Bureau at the MoI. Citizen Obaid Mohamed Al Kaabi hosted the council in his home in Al Ain and media figure Rashid Al Nuaimi from Al Khaleej Newspaper moderated the event. 

The participants called to promote the efforts of all the governmental bodies in the UAE to raise the awareness of the youth about the dangers of drugs and of the negative toll it takes on individuals and the society. They also hailed the leading role of the awareness councils, as they attract various age groups of the citizen nationals to discuss social issues in a family-oriented atmosphere. The participants also praised the efforts of the MoI in addressing the various social issues, and its keenness to elevate the safety and security in the UAE.

In his speech, Colonel Eid bin Thani, Director General of Anti-Narcotics Department, mentioned that drugs are a global problem, and are not exclusively limited to one country. He additionally noted that drug dealers tend to target the pillars of society – the young and impressionable youth.

He pointed out that one of the main reasons youth fall victim to drugs is due to the carelessness of the parents in not monitoring the behaviors of their children. Such parental negligence facilitates youth being caught as prey in drug addiction. He called to promote the efforts of the official and communal efforts to address the troublesome nature of drugs.

For his part, Lt. Colonel Dr. Juma’a Al Shamesi, Head of Awareness Department at the General Department of Anti-Narcotics at the Dubai Police, noted that drug dealers seek to destroy young people’s minds to lure them into addiction and dependency to make profit. He stressed that such councils are the perfect opportunity to discuss societal issues and boost awareness of parents on the dangers of addiction and the risks of children falling prey to drug dealers.

He added: “Combating drugs requires looking into many social and psychological aspects, as well as raising the awareness of the families and society to the importance of preventive protection and care for the children.”

While Major Mohammad Al Mansouri, Awareness Branch Manager at the Anti-Drug Section of the Abu Dhabi Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said that drug use sometimes starts at home; the major factors being a dysfunctional family, and lack of parental supervision among others.

Media Figure Rashid Al Nuaimi spoke about the importance of the media’s role in fighting drugs. He pointed that drugs have become a security challenge for international governments and citizens. He said: “the society of the UAE is not isolated from the rest of the world - but according to regional, Arab and global institutions and organizations, the UAE is considered as one of the best countries in combating drugs. This has been made possible through tremendous efforts from the concerned authorities, including the MoI and its affiliates, in fighting drug trafficking and promotion.”

Dr. Ahmad Yousef, Head of Psychiatry at the National Rehabilitation Center (NRC), addressed the issue of confidential treatment of addiction in his speech. He noted that addicts may be reluctant to seek treatment and rehabilitation programs out of fear of others knowing and passing judgment. He noted that the NRC provides the highest levels of protection and access to confidential treatment, an approach intended to encourage addicts to seek treatment.

The council concluded with a speech from the host, Obaid Mohamed Al Kaabi, who praised the noble and cultural initiative sponsored by the MoI in organizing awareness councils, which discuss critical issues for the UAE community, and provide the opportunity to foster relations between different generations and converge their points of view. He said: “The scourge of drugs poses a serious threat to international communities, and it’s no surprise that it targets the youth in particular, who are the pillars of every society’s future.”

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