Every member of the community has a role to play in keeping young people safe from drug abuse and addiction, the chairman of the National Drug Enforcement Authority has said.
Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad bin Hamdan was speaking at the launch of a nationwide campaign to raise public awareness about the threat illegal drugs pose to children.
The campaign, United as One to Eradicate the Threat, was launched in Dubai on Wednesday afternoon.
“The fight against drugs is not the responsibility of a single entity, but rather a shared national and civic duty that requires public awareness, solidarity and collaboration. Safeguarding our people is the foundation for any nation’s progress and stability,” Sheikh Zayed said.
While authorities are vigilant against the threat posed by illegal drugs, he said, the evolving methods used by criminals are creating new challenges for law enforcement agencies.
These emerging threats require increased awareness and readiness, and a shift from mere reaction to proactive prevention, he added.
The new campaign will focus on raising awareness among families and young people while using schools as a “key partner in educating and nurturing children, and the environment that shapes their awareness, values and behaviours”.
Evolution of smuggling
Brig Taher Al Dhaheri, director of the anti narcotic directorate at Abu Dhabi Police, told The National that criminal gangs constantly devise new techniques to move drugs.
“We encountered a wide range of concealment methods over the years, including hiding narcotics inside fish and other animals, marble and paintings,” he said.
“Regardless of how innovative criminals become, anti-narcotic agencies are now several steps ahead of them.”
Previous campaigns have achieved positive results, Brig Al Dhaheri added, with the average age of people caught using illegal drugs rising from 16 to 21 since the initiatives began.
“Most cases recorded are linked to family problems or unstable home environments. It is because a parent or close relatives was already using drugs,” he added.
Sending a message
At the campaign launch, Fahad Abdullah Haikal, spokesperson for the National Drug Enforcement Authority, presented data on the global drug-related risk, citing the World Drug Report 2025 from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Major Haikal said more than 316 million people, roughly 6 per cent of the world’s working-age population, used drugs, representing a 28 per cent increase over the past decade.
The new campaign, which will use social media to reach young people, also encourages those in need to seek help, treatment and rehabilitation support through the Hosn service (80044).
“Our responsibility today is to draw closer to our children, to foster communication and build their trust, while equipping them with the awareness, confidence and capacity to make the right decisions,” said Maj Haikal.
“This is why the core message we must convey to the younger generation is that true strength does not lie in conforming to or copying others. It lies in self-awareness, confidence and the courage to say ‘No’ to anything that threatens your health and future.”
