Shocking. Absolutely shocking. Over 10% of drug-addicted Saudi Nationals are reported to have begun using narcotics, typically through smoking, at the Primary School level. According to a new report by the General Directorate of Narcotics Control. Additionally, 34% are claimed to have begun in Middle School and a further 26% are said to have begun in High School. This means that over 60% of all drug-addicted Saudi Nationals began their habit whilst in education, especially between the ages of 12 and 20.
Due to the high intensity stresses of the country, many parents have been unable to monitor their children and thus this epidemic of drug-abuse has become widespread in recent years and is likely to get worse if preventative measures are not set into place. Abdul Illah Al-Sharif, Assistant Director General of the General Directorate of Narcotics Control, has urged parents to take a bigger role in monitoring their children between these ages as minimal family support, possibly mixed with peer pressure, are to blame.
- 60% of all drug-addicted Saudis began their habit in school
- Biggest factors blame the lack of attention by parents and peer pressure
Last year the Saudi government seized over 45 tons of Cannabis, this is phenomenal when you compare this to the 23 tons confiscated by the Saudi government during the three years prior to this combined. To counter this growing issue, the Saudi government will be setting a new program into place to educate school students about drug abuse and its consequences, requiring teachers in the districts of Riyadh, Jeddah, Tabuk and Makkah to take part, as well as encouraging parents to watch their children’s schedules, as most drug-abuse happens outside of school hours and most parents are completely unaware of their child’s habits and whereabouts.
Additional efforts include extra funding of new police campaigns such as new tracking directorates responsible for tracking and arresting dealers who use social media sites to propagate their sales, as well as funding new anti-smuggling measures to prevent the importation of drugs in the first place. These efforts have been hugely successful with over 37 thousand cases of smuggling, transportation, possession and use of drugs being investigated and many successful smuggling operations being foiled.
- New programs to educate students about the dangers of drug use have launched
- Last year over 45 tons of Cannabis was confiscated, New police efforts recently have helped to suppress this
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