Arabs Addressing Growing Drug Problem

The Arab world is coming to terms with a growing drug problem in Dubai and other Arab nations, the New York Times reports.

In an effort to move past the stigma that drug abuse puts on families, Dubai’s police and public health officials are openly addressing the growing problem brought on by increasing importation of drugs like heroin and ecstasy.

Officials and religious leaders are emphasizing prevention and rehabilitation through speeches, sermons and advertising campaigns reminding users of the toll these drugs can take, the report said.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates about 500,000 people across the region are drug abusers. This recognition is a dramatic change in a culture that traditionally concealed problems such as drug addiction.

It’s no longer quiet, and no longer hidden, Dr. Farida Allaghi, general coordinator of Mentor Arabia told the Times. The taboo around drug addiction is fading because the problem is becoming too scary.