10-year-old among addicts at rehab
Official calls for special section in schools to monitor students for drug addiction
Official calls for special section in schools to monitor students for drug addiction |
More than 400 people, including a child aged 10, who were addicted to drugs have been rehabilitated at the Erada Centre for Treatment and Rehab in Dubai in the last 17 months, an official said.
Dr Abdul Qader Al Khayyat, chairman of the Erada Centre, said 70 per cent of addicts who went through the drug rehab programme were aged between 18 and 29.
“Since the launch of the centre, we have welcomed 484 people, including girls between 17 and 24 years. Some of them had started abusing drugs before that, which means drug addiction started at a young age among them. We had one case of a 10-year-old child who was addicted to drugs,” Dr Al Khayyat said.
He made these remarks as part of a Dubai Police event marking the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (June 26).
Dr Al Khayyat said there has been an increase in drug addiction globally with higher demand for illegal painkillers and produced substances.
“There is negligence from parents in monitoring their children aged between 10 and 18. Some families think the children of this age have to have freedom and can handle the responsibility, but children should be guided by parents on the right path.”
Dr Al Khayyat said one of the solutions to the malady is having precautionary programmes in schools for students, and he called for a special section in schools to monitor minors and teenagers.
“We should have legislation to allow monitoring of teenagers by experts, not only for drug addiction but also for reckless driving, and guide them.
“Violent behaviours shouldn’t be handled only by police forces,” he added.