Children as young as 11 falling into drug abuse

▶ Doctor calls for a cultural change in treatment as more young women seek help for substance addiction

Children as young as 11 are being treated for drug abuse at a centre dedicated to helping women and young people with addictions.

The drug of choice for many is crystal methamphetamine, a powerful and deadly drug that stimulates the central nervous system.

Dr Hamad Al Ghaferi, director general of the National Rehabilitation Centre in Abu Dhabi, said young people needed more education.

“Drug abuse starts from just 11 years old,” Dr Al Ghaferi said. “Children need to be taught about the dangers of consuming drugs. There is a shortage of leaders dealing with drug addiction.

“A new institution will be launched to train people on how to deal with drug addicts and the science of addiction.”

Six hundred and fifty people have been admitted to the National Rehabilitation Centre, with 63 referred to hospitals for treatment.

Forty-nine per cent of those who finished their rehabilitation at the centre started to abuse drugs again.

Dr Al Ghaferi said 3,200 patients had been referred to the centre since its 2002 launch.

Eighteen young female addicts are undergoing rehabilitation treatment at the Erada Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation in Dubai.

Increasing numbers of females and children are falling into the grip of drug abuse, said Dr Abdul Qader Al Khayat, who is board chairman of the centre.

“The women are aged between 18 and 24, and are currently receiving treatment at the centre,” Dr Al Khayat said.

“We treat female addicts, mostly Emiratis, in compliance with the latest medical, psychological and social methods within the framework of full privacy and confidentiality.”

The recently opened women-only rehab section, where addicted women are offered tailored rehabilitation treatment programmes, takes into account the traditions and customs of Emirati society. It has about two dozen beds.

Doctors there said many of the younger women addicts had succumbed to peer pressure, a desire to imitate others and a lack of parental control.

At a two-day conference promoting the centre’s work, Dr Al Khayat said the unit had so far helped 335 men and women, aged between 18 and 70, to quit using drugs since opening last year.

Of those, 150 had been admitted for at least two weeks, with some staying for up to two months.

“The rate of recovery has reached 60 per cent,” said Dr Al Khayat, who has called for urgent action on the rising levels of substance abuse among young people.

“The number of women admitted to the centre is considered to be high. The figure indicates that there is a problem among this age group.

“The use of drugs between school students and in colleges needs to be handled in a better way.”

Doctors have called for more research into the reasons behind the trend and to find solutions, with parents encouraged to work with teachers, health professionals and the police.

Those who attend Erada do so voluntarily. If the centre is contacted by a relative and the addict refuses treatment, a doctor working there meets the person to help convince them into therapy.

Both rehabilitation centres in Dubai and Abu Dhabi follow up with their patients. Five people have contacted the Dubai centre for treatment for alcohol addiction. One 17-year-old claimed to have been addicted for several years.

“Recently, consuming tramadol has diminished but the use of crystal and methamphetamine is on the increase due to easy access,” said Younis Al Balooshi, a director at the Erada Centre.

“Drug users use injections to consume methamphetamine and crystal, which is more dangerous. Families of women who suffered from drug addiction have faced up to the stigma and decided to find help.”

Dr Al Khayat wants drug users to be treated as victims and patients, while he highlighted the need to fight addiction, raise hope among addicts and create a spirit of sympathy.

“The UAE and GCC countries are being targeted by narcotics traffickers,” he said. “The number of drug busts, seizing tonnes of illegal substances and at least 20,000 pills or more indicates GCC countries are being targeted by international traffickers.

“Drug addiction has a significant impact on the individual’s mental health – it is an illness, not a crime.”

Drug addiction has a significant impact on mental health – it is an illness, not a crime DR ABDUL QADER AL KHAYAT Erada Centre