National body to advise on drug law

Abu Dhabi: The National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) in the capital will soon begin giving advice on anti-drug regulation in the UAE, including laws on treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts, a senior official said on Tuesday.

As of now, however, the recommendations that will be made to anti-drug officials and enforcement agencies in the country are undecided, Dr Hamad Al Gaferi, director general of the National Rehabilitation Centre, told Gulf News.

"We are also looking to implement a programme to increase awareness about the harms of drug use among the youth, and studying a project to open up drug rehabilitation centres within prisons," Dr Al Gaferi said.

The announcement about the NRC's possible new role in anti-drug regulation was made by an official from the Ministry of Presidential Affairs at the first regional forum of the International Drug Policy Consortium in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.

Delegates at the two-day forum, which included health professionals and anti-drug rehabilitation and enforcement officials, earlier discussed the importance of treating drug addicts as patients rather than criminals.

Worrying trend

Dr Ahmad Yousuf Ali, medical director at the NRC and another speaker at the forum, told Gulf News on the sidelines that one of the most worrying trends among patients recently admitted to the facility was the increase in the use of poly-substances, with more than 30 per cent of inpatients being addicted to them.

"A polysubstance is a mix of various other substances that enhances the effect of the drug itself."

Drug addictions among NRC inpatients

Source: Dr Ahmad Yousuf Ali, NRC

Extent of problem: Heroin, hashish widely used

Although cocaine is not very popular, the NRC regularly sees heroin addicts, said Dr Ahmad Yousuf Ali, medical director at the NRC.

"Some of our patients with the most severe addictions have taken up to 5 grams a day. We also know that heroin is typically sold in the UAE in ... film containers. Each container has about 20 grams of heroin and costs Dh500," Dr Ali said.

"Hashish is usually sold in 100 gram containers and costs about Dh3,000," he added. Dr Ali also said the use of unprocessed nicotine (midwakh), which can cause lung and buccal cancer and is easily available, is also a serious public health concern.

Source: Dr Ahmad Yousuf Ali, NRC