In the UAE’s war on drugs, the authorities should also target demand

The capture of 4.6 million amphetamine pills is a victory of sorts. But the more lasting victory lies in reducing the demand, writes Justin Thomas.

Last month, Dubai Police orchestrated a sting operation that resulted in the capture of 4.6 million amphetamine pills, with an estimated street value of around Dh115 million. This massive haul was one of the world's largest drug seizures for 2013. This is unquestionably a significant victory in the unending war on drugs, but it also raises uncomfortable questions about the regional demand for such narcotics. If there is no supply without demand, then 4.6 million pills suggests a pretty large appetite.

The use of illicit drugs (alcohol included) by citizens of the Arabian Gulf is not only criminalised but also socially stigmatised. Islamic texts are unequivocal on this issue, with the consumption of intoxicants considered an “abomination”, classified as a major sin, and traditionally punishable by flogging – in Saudi Arabia, drug users can receive up to 80 lashes, plus possible imprisonment.

In addition to tough legal penalties, Gulf citizens who develop problems with addiction will also battle the twin demons of guilt and shame, besides physical withdrawal symptoms. One case study from the UAE reported in the Journal of Muslim Mental Health, describes a young Emirati man racked with guilt about the disgrace and shame his “sinful life” had brought on his family.

So with such social, legal and moral disincentives, why do some people in the Gulf still use drugs?

Certain genetically influenced personality traits predispose individuals to experimentation with drugs. But many people possessing such traits, such as high levels of impulsivity and disinhibition, still manage to steer well clear of drugs. Biologically influenced personality traits can be, at best, only a small part of this story.

Another factor often implicated in the initiation of drug use is family life. A broken or troubled home may lead some young people into cycles of self-destructive “self-medication”, using drugs as a temporary psychological escape from a bad social situation. But ultimately, such escapism simply makes bad situations worse.

Another family factor affecting drug use is the idea of parental monitoring – that is, parents routinely knowing where their kids are and what they are up to. Parental monitoring appears to be a particularly protective factor against drug use initiation in adolescents. One study reported in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, followed 926 children between 8 and 10 years old over a four-year period. The children receiving the lowest levels of parental monitoring were far more likely to have initiated drug use at earlier ages.

These ideas seem to ring true for the initiation of drug use in the Gulf too. In one regional study, researchers asked 237 Kuwaiti citizens receiving inpatient treatment for drug addiction to list what they believed were the main factors in kicking off their drug use. The most commonly reported answer was “problems at home”. This was closely followed by “excessive unsupervised free time”.

Interestingly, the fourth most common reason given was “overseas travel”. If drugs are relatively difficult to obtain at home, then travelling to destinations where they’re not so hard to come by presents a risk, especially if we consider touristic instincts, as the tendency to overindulge in local delights, particularly those things we can’t easily obtain back home.

The rate of illicit drug use among Gulf citizens is relatively low. But there is very little doubt that the rate has been increasing in recent decades. This is significant growth, beyond factors such as population growth or increased reporting and detection. Data from criminal justice sources, including drug-related prosecutions and deaths, show steady increases over the last decade. Healthcare data echo the same troubling trend: a growing number of patients are attending addiction treatment centres.

The capture of 4.6 million amphetamine pills is certainly a victory of sorts, to cut supplies. But the more lasting victory lies in reducing the demand. Initiatives aimed at promoting psychological well-being, contentment and healthier human relationships will massively reduce the demand. In addition to our war on drugs, we also need a strategy to promote psychological well-being: a war on woe.

Justin Thomas is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Zayed University and Author of Psychological Well-Being in the Gulf States

On Twitter: @Jaytee156