Abu Dhabi's new drugs policy to focus on detection and treatment for users

Authorities place emphasis on education while tackling access to substances

Officials say efforts to tackle the source of drugs must go hand-in-hand with policies to treat addicts. Photo: Dubai Customs

Abu Dhabi will put treatment for users and education for families at the heart of a new policy to tackle the scourge of drugs.

A number of government agencies will seek to limit access to illegal substances, while ensuring addicts are treated rather than punished.

Officials said that confidentiality for families and addicts is a major focus.

Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, chairman of the Department of Community Development, said a multi-agency response would "help in early identification of cases ... and ensure social reintegration of recovering substance users".

We cannot leave our children to fall victim to these dealers

Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili,
Department of Community Development

Speaking in Abu Dhabi on Monday, he said the aim was “to reduce the demand and addiction rates and to protect our children. We cannot leave our children to fall victim to these dealers."

Although drug use in the Gulf tends to be much lower than in Europe and North America, it is a major market for dealers.

An investigation by The National last year showed amphetamines, such as Captagon, were flooding into the Gulf, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt, mostly in shipments from Syria.

Fear of asking for help

Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili said authorities were taking a pragmatic approach to tackling drug abuse, with the emphasis on treatment and education. Victor Besa / The National

Under the theme of ‘A Community Safe from Addiction’, the new strategy has several main objectives — preventing substance use, enabling early identification and intervention, providing appropriate treatment to substance users and ensuring fast reintegration of those recovering into their families and society.

For the first time, every government authority will be working together to achieve these goals from the police and schools to hospitals and local clinics.

Dr Layla Al Hayas, executive director of the monitoring and social innovation sector at DCD, said of drug addiction: ”This is a disease where users are prone to relapse. It is a burden on the economy and families. Not every user is an addict but we want to focus on prevention and we don’t want to work in silos."

She said families might have a drug addict at home who refuses to seek treatment for fear of being stigmatised.

“We want to work on providing them help privately without fear of stigma,” she said.

Dr Al Khaili said: “We expect that after enforcing the strategy, it will decrease drug use rates and related deaths and increase the number of people getting treatment."

The UAE recently downgraded penalties for drug and alcohol misuse in some circumstances.

Other legislation allows law enforcement to take a practical approach to people who, in error, may bring small amounts of drugs into the country. This includes products containing cannabis extracts, which have been decriminalised or legalised in a number of countries.

But selling or trafficking drugs can lead to years in jail.

Prosecutors can push for the death penalty for drug dealing, although it is rarely used.

Middle East's war on Captagon: in pictures

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  According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, trafficking in amphetamines has increased in the Middle East in recent years. Photo: Dubai Customs

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  Specially trained K-9 units are often used by border forces to intercept shipments. EPA

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  Experts believe the amount intercepted accounts for only around a tenth of the total quantity of pills being smuggled out of places like Syria and Jordan. EPA

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  Dubai Customs thwarted 398 attempts to smuggle drugs into the city in the first three months of this year. Photo: Dubai Customs

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  Captagon pills on display after being seized in Greece in 2019. EPA

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  Captagon became synonymous with the Syrian Civil War. AFP

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  The small, off-white pills have quickly become one of the most widely consumed drugs in the Middle East. EPA

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  Millions of Captagon pills are seized around the world each year. EPA

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  Captagon pills on display after a major interception of a shipment in 2009. Nicole Hill / The National

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  Customs officers say Captagon smugglers prefer to use sea ports rather than airports because of the size of shipping containers, enabling them to conceal larger quantities of drugs. Photo: Dubai Customs