Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Wednesday, June 25th 2014 [ME NewsWire]

The United Arab Emirates will mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking under the slogan: “Choose Friends who care… Say No to Drugs.” Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ammar Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, the celebration will be held tomorrow, Thursday June 26th, at the Ajman center of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development. Similar celebrations will be held across all the Emirates of the country to raise the awareness about the dangers of drug use and abuse.

Colonel Saeed Abdullah Al Suwaidi, Director General, Anti-Narcotics Federal Directorate General at the Ministry of Interior, said that the celebration will feature several performances and purposeful programs that aim at acquainting the public with the harmful effects of drugs. The activities will include an awareness-raising exhibition about drugs, in addition to a documentary film screening that showcases the MoI’s efforts in the fight against drugs, its role in promoting regional and international cooperation to curtail the drug affliction, as well as its efforts in organizing awareness programs about the harmful effects of drug use and abuse.

Colonel Al Suwaidi also indicated that the celebration activities will also include awareness-oriented performances presented by a group of young people from the Ajman center of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development. The celebration will also witness the honoring of the various institutions and individuals who took part in organizing and supporting the awareness programs that have been held throughout the year; in addition to the officers, non-commissioned officers, constables and female officers in recognition of their excellence in the performance of their work and discharging their duties in the best possible way.

Moreover, Colonel Al Suwaidi praised the valuable interaction of all society institutions and individuals with the awareness campaign about the risks and dangers of drugs launched by the Security Media Department at the General Secretariat of the Office of H.H Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Interior under the slogan “They Fooled Me.” The campaign embodies the MoI’s vision aimed at “making the UAE one of the best countries in the world, in terms of safety and security”. “This would support the efforts to combat and eradicate crimes and to protect all community members,” he said.

Commenting on the event,  H.E Dr. Mohammed bin Ali Koman, Secretary General of the Arab Interior Ministers Council, asserted that drug trade has witnessed rapid development in the past few years, due to the growing developments of communication technology in particular, and the increased reliance on information systems and the internet. He said: “Drug promotion is no longer limited to traditional means; it has evolved to new levels and leverages websites and social media networks to promote all kinds of drugs, including promoting psychoactive plants under the garb of medicinal plants to improve the mood and stimulate the memory.”

Dr. Koman added: “Despite the leading achievements made by the Arab Interior Ministers Council and the significant successes of Arab security authorities in combating drugs, it is crucially important to double the efforts, not only by competent anti-drug agencies, but also by all civil society institutions, mass media, educational institutions, religious leaders and others. All these parties need to join forces in order to raise the awareness of the public about the harmful effects of drug abuse, by organizing various events such as conferences, seminars, meetings, workshops, training courses, guidance lectures, awareness exhibitions and specialized media programs.”

Dr. Koman also pointed out the importance of complementing these efforts by establishing sustainable developmental projects in the areas where drug cultivation and production thrive and encouraging farmers to grow alternative crops to compensate the the huge profits of drug production.  “Laws and legislations need to be enacted to cope with the recent developments in the production and trafficking of drugs and psychotropic substances, due to the legal insufficiencies related to the use of some of types of drugs that have become an obstacle to the fight against drugs on many occasions,” he continued.

Dr. Koman stressed the importance of supporting security authorities and other competent entities in their efforts to reduce the supply and demand for illicit drugs and to eradicate the nefarious effects of drug use and abuse. This could be achieved by building further projects of addiction treatment centers, drug aftercare centers and rehabilitation centers.

Towards the end of his speech, Dr. Koman called upon every Arab national to be extremely cautious to avoid falling prey to the drug scourge. He also urged Arab families to protect their children against becoming vulnerable to temptations that may ruin their life and destroy their future. He also encouraged families to educate their children on the need to avoid the first free try of drugs experience. “the success of drug prevention efforts is based  on the monitoring and educational role played by parents to immunize their children against such harmful behaviors, nurture them safely, and instilling the religious and moral deterrents in their souls,” he said.

In conclusion, Dr. Koman expressed his hopes that this day creates an opportunity to spread more awareness about the dangers of drugs and to educate community members against their devastating effects.  He also hoped that by marking this day, this celebration will encourage concerted efforts among civil institution and governmental agencies, as well as regional and international efforts to curtail this scourge and curb its effects. “These efforts should build on a positive, comprehensive and constructive cooperation, which draws legitimacy from the transnational dimension of drug trafficking, whose nefarious effects are not limited to a specific society.”

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The Arabic-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the Arabic-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.

Contacts

The UAE Minister of Interior's General Secretariat, Tactical Affairs and Security Media Department

Abu Dhabi Police GHQ - Security Media

Chris Cron +971-(0)-50-987-1317

E-mail: cron.media@hotmail.com

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