Pivotal role of father in family stressed

A low educational level, lack of parental supervision and bad company are the main factors behind drug addiction among the youth, according to a recent field study prepared by Samiha Hashem and Dr Mohammed Murad Abdullah of Dubai Police.

Focusing on the causes of drugs addiction, the study surveyed 52 addicts from Rashidiya which has a large number of addicts compared to other districts.

The survey shows that the majority of addicts are in the age group of 28-33. The study also shows that they tried drugs for the first time when they were aged between 13 and 22, the average being 17.

Seventy-five per cent of the addicts do not have a secondary certificate. They quit school to work and earn money to buy drugs.

When they started taking drugs, 67 per cent of the respondents worked in the government, 17 per cent were students, 10 per cent unemployed and four per cent worked in the private sector. The majority now are unemployed.

Also 60 per cent of the respondents received a monthly salary of less than Dh3,000, 19 per cent received Dh3,000-5,900, 13 per cent Dh6,000-9,900 and eight per cent Dh10,000. It is important to note that the largest group that gets below Dh 3,000 consists of those who are unemployed and receive money from the family or the government.

The majority of the respondents - 71 per cent - are unmarried, 25 per cent divorced and two per cent separated. Also with respect to the order of the respondents in the family, 67 per cent comprise the middle child, 17 per cent the eldest child, 12 per cent the youngest and four per cent the only child.

Most of the respondents' parents are alive while 17 per cent had a deceased father and 10 per cent a deceased mother. Also, most of the respondents' parents are happily married whereas 29 per cent of them have divorced parents and six per cent separated parents.

Only 30 per cent of the respondents' mothers have married after getting divorced. This shows that the role of a single mother in bringing up children is limited and that the father's role is extremely important.

Polygamy had no effect on the addicts as 65 per cent of the respondent's fathers did not have multiple wives.

In addition, 55 per cent of the respondents said they received their parents' love and compassion, 19 per cent received great care, 12 per cent were pampered, eight per cent received cruel treatment and six per cent were neglected.

However, 77 per cent of the respondents said their parents treated them equally as their brothers and sisters.

Only 54 per cent of the respondents discussed their problems with their families. The majority said their families allowed them to sleep outside their homes.

Of them, 50 per cent used to spend the night in camps, 23 per cent at their friends' homes, 17 per cent with their relatives and 10 per cent in hotels. Most parents knew their children's friends since they live in the same district.

Although most of the respondents' families noticed the changes in their children's behaviour, they were not aware of the reasons or the fact that those who seek treatment will not be punished. Most of the respondents' families do not drink alcohol. However, about 11 per cent of the respondents' brothers take drugs.

An analysis of the respondents' answers about their families indicate that the problem is mainly lack of parental supervision.

The study focused on the relation between the respondents and their friends. It was found that most of the respondents had daily contact with their friends from the same district and spent their free time with them within the district. They met mostly in the evenings and mainly at the playground with the majority of them spending together two to five hours daily.

In addition, 62 per cent of the respondents' friends broke the law in one way or another and 67 per cent committed crimes related to drugs. This means that the influence of friends is the main factor that led the respondents to take drugs.

About the respondents' behaviour in general and with respect to taking drugs, the researchers found that the majority took mainly hashish, tried drugs for the first time in the UAE and were aware of the harms associated with the habit.

Also half the respondents preferred to take drugs with a friend or a relative, 33 per cent preferred taking drugs alone and 17 per cent in a group.

The majority of the respondents - 57 per cent - paid for the drugs from their salaries, 25 per cent from their families' money, six per cent by selling drugs, six per cent through stealing and two per cent by borrowing while four per cent did not reveal the source.

Furthermore, 44 per cent of the respondents tried drugs out of curiosity, 25 per cent to forget their problems and 23 per cent to keep up with their friends.

Also 55 per cent obtained drugs for the first time from their friends, 17 per cent from drug dealers, 10 per cent from different sources such as foreign girlfriends, friends who don't live in the same district and some members of the police force, six per cent from a doctor, six per cent from colleagues at work, four per cent from relatives and two per cent from a pharmacy.

This confirms that the influence of friends and the lack of parental supervision are the main causes behind this bad habit.

The study recommends that parents encourage their children to complete their education, tell their children about the risks of the habit and closely supervise their children, thereby not leaving them to bad company who lead them towards this path.

Jobs should be created for the unemployed and programmes planned to increase people's awareness about the perils of drug addiction. Besides, smoking must be combated and security in remote areas increased.