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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Work together to fight curb drugs

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SALALAH, June 26 - The National Committee for Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances sought to deal with sternly any effort to spread narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. At an important event marking the International Day for Drug Control, the participants called for immediate and urgent action to curb the practice and engage with the society to raise awareness among the people.


The event was held under the auspices of Sayyid Mohammed bin Sultan al Busaidy, Minister of State and Governor of Dhofar, and was organised jointly by the Directorate of Health Services in Dhofar Governorate and the National Committee for Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in Salalah on Wednesday.


The National Committee decided to organise its annual event in Salalah as the International Day for Drug Control is observed globally on June 26. Hatem Fouad Ali, Regional Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), was present on the occasion.


The theme for this year’s awareness programme is ‘Your awareness is our goal’, which stresses upon the importance of raising awareness about the dangers of drugs among individuals and society.


In his inaugural speech, Dr Khalid al Mushekhi, Director-General of Health Service in Dhofar, called the issue a global challenge and said, “Drugs and psychotropic substances are one of the major challenges facing the humanity. Statistics indicate a widespread of this problem on global, regional and national levels. Simultaneously drive is also there to combat the elements involved in it.”


“The National Committee for Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, in collaboration with government and private agencies, is working to reduce the spread of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and their impact on individuals. The message against drugs should be spread through all sorts of media, exhibitions and lectures, cultural and religious programmes and remedy should be sought through rehabilitation and therapies,” he said.


Mahmoud al Abri, in-charge of the executive office of the National Committee, dwelt upon the objectives of the event and said, “Despite efforts exerted globally to reduce drugs, it is still a challenge to those countries, including the Sultanate, where the number of cases in the central register was 6,456 in 2018, showing an increase of 552 cases. The majority of these cases were males (accounting for 98 per cent) and the affected age group (25-34) was the highest in the same year at 42 per cent.


He stressed that these statistics did not reflect the size of the real problem in society, but represented the cases recorded in the registry, which came for treatment. So it becomes responsibility of all to cooperate and reduce the number of addiction cases.


“The National Committee for Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances is aimed at guiding, consolidating and integrating the efforts of various bodies, in addition to the awareness efforts through the launch of the awareness convoy that toured the various governorates during the previous years as well as the launch of the programmes during school breaks,” he said.


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