Why schools must act early against drugs

There is a rapidly growing problem of illegal drug use in Oman. Denial is dangerous because once drug use takes hold among the young, it rarely loosens its grip without lasting damage.
Preventative action in the earliest stages is urgently needed; the earlier the better. Silence is perceived as consent. Thus, schools in Oman carry a heavy responsibility. They are among the first places where changes in behaviour can be noticed. Experience from Western societies shows that drug dealers approach even very young schoolchildren, who are easily influenced. However, schools must be careful: drug warnings founded solely on fear soon lose their force.
Fear fades and curiosity or defiance takes its place. What endures is clarity: age‑appropriate information about the physical and psychological harm of drugs, the legal consequences that follow and the social isolation that often accompanies dependency.
Teachers, frequently the first adults to sense that something is wrong, must be trained to recognise early warning signs and to respond with confidence.
A school ruled by punishment alone encourages concealment, whereas one that allows students to seek help without stigma and reprisal may prevent lasting harm. Strengthening life skills, particularly resistance to peer pressure regarding drugs, remains a practical and effective defence. The damage extends far beyond users. It spreads through public health, education and economic life, weakening each in turn. Careers are lost and communities lose capable members long before the problem is acknowledged.
Social stability is central to national identity and long‑term progress. Illegal drugs represent a serious threat to Omani society. The experience of North America and Europe offers a stark warning. There, widespread drug availability has contributed to rising addiction, increasing overdose deaths and the decline of once‑stable communities.
Drug dealers are everywhere, health services struggle with long‑term physical and psychological harm, families fracture and crime increases. Youngsters are especially vulnerable because judgement, concentration and emotional balance are still forming. Exposure to drugs at this early age can cause lasting impairment: academic failure, school dropout, mental illness and long‑term dependency.
Government action must therefore be firm and consistent. Drug trafficking thrives where enforcement is weak or uneven. Strong border controls, intelligence‑led policing, police departments dedicated to arresting drug dealers and swift prosecution send a clear message that trafficking will not be tolerated.
While users require rehabilitation rather than punishment, those who profit from supplying drugs must face severe penalties. Delay and denial allow the problem to grow quietly until it becomes deeply entrenched.
Rumours that illegal drugs in Oman are sold mainly by non‑Omani residents must be treated with caution. Assigning blame on the basis of nationality distorts justice and weakens enforcement. Responsibility must be determined by evidence and applied impartially to all involved: Omanis and expats.
Families can be the most influential line of defence. Young people who feel supported and connected to their families are far less vulnerable to external pressure.
Open discussion, clear boundaries, awareness of friendships and online influences and early intervention when concerns arise can prevent experimentation from becoming a habit.
Waiting for unmistakable signs is often waiting too long. International evidence also indicates that vaping devices are sometimes used to consume illegal drugs discreetly, increasing the need for awareness at home and in schools.
Protecting Omani youth requires coordinated effort rather than isolated gestures. Families, schools and authorities must act together. Oman’s stability has been built patiently over generations.
Allowing illegal drugs to spread would place that inheritance at risk. Early, decisive action remains far less costly than prevention attempted too late. What is needed immediately, especially for parents and their children, is a drug hotline which can be called for advice without fear of social repercussions.

Karim Easterbrook The writer is a Former School Principal and Author