ABU DHABI // Universities across the UAE say they regularly work with police to roll out anti-drug awareness campaigns warning students about experimenting with illegal substances.
Earlier this year, United Arab Emirates University launched the ‘Combating Drugs with the Pen’ competition with Dubai Police, which aimed to get students involved in learning more about the harmful effects of narcotics.
“The UAEU and Dubai Police wanted to encourage students to do research on drugs,” said the university’s Fadwa Al Mughairbi.
The data collected by students will form part of a research paper into narcotics.
“It was an awareness campaign to encourage students to do something to know more about drugs and the side effects,” said Dr Al Mughairbi. “It encouraged students to be part of the community that is fighting drugs.
“Young students often don’t have a clear distinction between a trend and harmful things.
“You can tell them it is illegal but you cannot tell them it is bad for your health - because for them it is a trend, a fashion.
“You have to speak their language and you can only do this with knowledge and empowering them with education.”
Dr Al Mughairbi said the university has a counselling centre that offers confidential advice for students seeking help with drug addiction.
The UAEU is also affiliated with organisations such as the National Rehabilitation Centre, to aid students who want help getting clean.
However, the university maintains a strict policy on students caught in possession of drugs on campus.
“Drugs will jeopardise your academic future,” said Dr Al Mughairbi.“If a student is irresponsible and jeopardises his rights and the rights of others, it says we will follow the country’s laws (on drugs) especially if it is affecting the health or causing harm to others.”
The Canadian University Dubai holds regular anti-drug education initiatives.
“With a student body encompassing over 102 nationalities, The Canadian University Dubai offers every year an anti-drug campaign awareness programme to all its students, with a special focus on new students,” said a spokeswoman.
“The programme offers our students information on different drugs and their effects, as well as UAE laws.”
Zayed University and the HCT-Dubai Men’s College have also held anti-drug initiatives in collaboration with police.
In its student housing policy, Abu Dhabi University issues a strict warning to students caught with drugs.
“Alcohol, drugs and narcotics are illegal and are not permitted anywhere in the ADU dormitories,” it said. “Any criminal activity such as theft, drugs, threats or if a student exhibits behaviour that is determined unethical or illegal by the Office of Student Support Services, [the] student may be referred to Abu Dhabi Police.
“Such cases will result in the immediate termination of student housing and possible expulsion from the university.”
The National reached our to several other universities, including the Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and New York University Abu Dhabi, but they did not respond.
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