Sharjah Police warn parents: Emotional distance can push children towards drugs

Sharjah: Sharjah Police have released a hard-hitting awareness video warning families that emotional neglect and weak communication can leave children vulnerable to drug abuse.

Shared on the police’s official social media platforms, the video is part of an ongoing anti-narcotics campaign. It tells the story of a boy named Ali, who grows up feeling alone despite living with both parents.

Ali is shown spending long hours on his phone, with little guidance or emotional support. Work stress and social distractions dominate his parents’ lives, leaving little room for family interaction.

As the story unfolds, Ali looks for attention and understanding outside his home. He slowly falls into bad company, where negative influences take hold. Isolated and under pressure, he turns to drugs as a way to escape loneliness and emotional pain.

The video shows how quickly children can drift towards dangerous paths when they feel unheard and unsupported.

A key moment comes when Ali’s parents reflect on their mistakes. The father admits his work kept him distant from his son’s life. The mother acknowledges that social commitments replaced meaningful conversations at home.

Their absence, the message suggests, created an emotional gap that put their child at risk.

Sharjah Police said the campaign aims to remind families that parental care, open dialogue and emotional support are the first lines of defence against drugs.

Parents were urged to stay alert to their children’s emotional and social needs and to step in early before problems grow.

The police warned that addiction often develops quietly when communication breaks down, stressing that true prevention begins inside the home.