Why fighting drug trafficking and consumption alone isn’t enough ---By Passant Hisham

Poor parenting, accessibility of cheap drugs are main reasons behind increased addiction rates KUWAIT: Despite the strict legal measures taken against drugs consumption and trafficking in Kuwait, the Ministry of Health revealed that an estimated 81,072 cases visited the addiction treatment center between 2015 and 2023. Additionally, data from the Justice Ministry in 2022 revealed around 6,000 drug-related cases in Kuwaiti courts, with 50 percent including Kuwaitis. These cases span a range of activities, from manufacturing and trafficking to the seizure of illegal substances. As long as drugs stay in demand, traffickers will always find ways to bypass legal systems and sell them. The only solution is to make Kuwait a less attractive market for drug dealers by focusing on raising children with strong values, self-control, and resilience against these toxic elements, said Mansour Al-Khashti, addiction treatment specialist and Chairman of the PR Committee at the local drug abuse prevention center “Bashayer Al-Khair.” In the past, he observed that addiction typically began around the age of 18 or 20. However, with the increased accessibility of cheap drugs, even a 12-year-old can now buy a dose for just KD 1. “Drugs are now easily manufactured, smuggled, and sold - making it easy to completely enslave the addict,” he said. Khashti noted that manufacturers often use chemicals like methamphetamine, commonly known as “Shabu,” to produce these drugs. “The problem is that such chemicals have a compounded effect, and trigger violent behavior,” he added, linking them to many of today’s crimes. These drugs are often smuggled through neighboring countries, such as Iraq, said Khashti. “After 33 years of fieldwork with addicts, I can confidently say that poor parenting is the primary cause of widespread drug addiction,” he said. Following that are factors such as bad company, peer pressure, and weak religious values. For this reason, Bashayer Al-Khair promotes religious teachings and faith to combat addiction, welcoming individuals from all nationalities and religions to help rebuild their psychological and social beings. “No religion of any type would encourage its followers to get addicted to drugs,” Khashti added, saying that multiple times, he was invited by churches to give lectures about recovering from drugs. After addicts undergo treatment and fully detoxify their bodies, they come to the center to gradually reintegrate into their normal lives. Khashti highlighted that the most important approach when dealing with someone who has recently recovered from addiction is to embrace and accept them without judgment, as they are often very sensitive to criticism or negative attitudes. He also spoke out against the stigma associated with former addicts. “Anyone who truly cares about their country or community should support addicts in their recovery,” he said, rather than continually reminding them of who they once were. On a positive note, Khashti mentioned that nearly 80 percent of former addicts who visit the center make a full recovery, bringing joy back to families that were once filled with despair. He sent his final messages to parents, noting, “our children are our most valuable investment; we should always support them, provide for them, and be positive role models.”

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