Manama: Ten people have died from drug overdose in Kuwait in the first three months of this year, the Ministry of Interior said.
"Five of those who died were aged between 31 and 40," the ministry said in a statement. "The figure reflects how the lives of young people are lost despite steady efforts to combat trafficking in drugs at the sources and before they reach users and addicts."
Authorities conduct regular campaigns to promote awareness about the dangers of drugs, but efforts from the community are needed to eliminate bad habits and save lives, the ministry said.
Drug dealing in Kuwait is often blamed on illegal immigrants and immature teenage behaviour.
Last month, the heads of anti-drugs agencies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) discussed in Kuwait ways of intensifying control over drugs use and boosting measures to curb their proliferation.
On March 20, Kuna reported that two Kuwait men, in their 20s, were arrested for drug dealing.
According to the report, 72 kilograms of cannabis and 55,000 drug pills were found in their possession and the pair confessed they had plans for smuggling drugs into a neighbouring country. One of the dealers was an officer in the interior ministry.
