Prescription drug abuse ‘is cause for alarm’

Doctors have called for stricter control of prescription medicine amid concerns over addiction levels in the Middle East.

Medics told a Dubai conference about two major worries: the easy availability of medicine such anti-depressants and the mixing of synthetic “legal highs”, some of which can be bought over the internet.

Despite strict control and tough punishment in the Middle East and elsewhere, dealers often remain ahead of the curve, selling new substances that are yet to be classified and, if appropriate, banned.

Dr Tareq Al Ahmadi, associate professor at King Fahd Security College in Riyadh, singled out “flakka”, which made headlines in the US last year.

Called the “zombie drug” for sending users into psychotic outbursts, it was linked to 63 deaths in Florida in 16 months and banned in the UAE last year.

“There is a rise of new synthetic drugs,” Dr Al Ahmadi said. “Traffickers are now mixing drugs and legal substances to come up with new forms of addictive drugs, such as flakka.”

He made said there were reports of users biting others in a rage.

Dr Al Ahmadi also said some people take advantage of mental health medication to get high. Other commonly abused drugs include the strong anti-pain medication tramadol, which cannot be bought over the counter but can be acquired with a special prescription.

“There have been many international conventions to stop the abuse of certain medicines, such as those prescribed for depression,” Dr Al Ahmadi said.

“Recent studies show that there will be growing use of industrial drugs in the future. I believe some of these industrial drugs have been smuggled into Arab countries.”

He referred to cases involving young men who killed their parents when high on drugs, although he did not identify the Arab state in which they occurred.

Dr Al Ahmadi also told delegates of the dangers of abusing steroids or performance-enhancement drugs, which as

The National has reported, are widely available despite controls.

“Using any type of medication frequently may lead to addiction,” he said. “There is a need for stricter regulations to control the use of over-thecounter medicine, especially medicines prescribed for depression.”

Mona Al Yatamya, a mental health expert in Kuwait, warned: “Flakka is expected to reach the Gulf countries. Consumption or use among people in our countries will result in significant consequences.”

She said law enforcement and the authorities could not take for granted that drugs would not reach the streets of Gulf states.

Ms Al Yatamya said even drug experts “did not expect that crystal meth would be consumed in Gulf countries 17 years ago, yet at the moment, it is widely spread in the market”.

“Although some drug traffickers are behind bars in Kuwait, they manage to find a way to distribute drugs in the country,” she said.

“They have their own ways to distribute drugs in Kuwait. They manage to communicate with others involved in drug trafficking over the phone.”

Dr Hisham Al Araby, from the National Rehabilitation Centre in Abu Dhabi, said there must also be a focus on rehabilitation.

“Some psychological disorders emerge because of the use of new types of drugs. Most recovering drug addicts start abusing substances again,” Dr Al Araby said.

Class A-type drugs may be difficult to acquire, but he said many addicts mixed together a variety of legal or partially controlled substances.

“We have witnessed people struggling with depression who mix tramadol and energy drinks to get high,” Dr Al Araby said.

Some disorders emerge because of new types of drugs. Most recovering addicts start abusing again DR TAREQ AL AHMADI King Fahd Security College, Riyadh