JEDDAH: Drug addiction is a major social problem in Saudi Arabia, according to Abdul Ilah Al-Sharief, assistant director general for preventive affairs at the Drug Combating Department.
A study conducted by the department concluded that 74 percent of the country’s drug addicts experimented with drugs before they were 15.
The Council of Ministers recently passed new laws as part of the government’s efforts to protect society from drug abuse. According to a report presented to the Shoura Council last year, around 150,000 young Saudi men and women abuse drugs. Al-Sharief’s study pointed out that more than 70 percent of addicts either borrowed money (36.6 percent) or stole (37.3 percent) to buy drugs. It also revealed that 76 percent of Saudi addicts were unemployed.
The study covered people receiving de-addiction treatment at Al-Amal Rehabilitation Centers.
The number of singles among the addicts accounted for 31.7 percent, 18.6 percent were married and 5.9 percent divorced. About 26.2 percent had intermediate education while 11.8 percent finished high school.
“These findings indicate that good education and married life dissuade young men and women from taking drugs,” Al-Sharief said.
Unemployment is another factor that creates addicts. The study showed that about 46 percent of addicts had no jobs.
The average age of drug users was 32. About 90 percent of those interviewed were between 30 and 50. Government employees accounted for 13.6 percent, military officers 9.9 percent, workers in the private sector 5.9 percent and self-employed 4.9 percent.
As many as 31.9 percent of addicts were from Riyadh, 27.8 percent from Dammam, 17.1 percent from Taif, 15.7 percent from Jeddah, 4.2 percent from Makkah, and 3.2 percent from Qassim. Twenty-four percent of the drug users thought addiction affected their productivity. About 8.1 percent started the habit with smoking while 66.9 percent took drugs under peer pressure. “About 23 percent took drugs in the company of opposite sex,” Al-Sharief said.
As many as 46 percent said their unhappy childhood had played a role in turning them to drugs. Forty percent said they suffered humiliation and abuse during childhood, 37 percent were beaten, 19.9 percent grew up seeing hostile relations between parents, and sibling while14.9 percent had their parents separated.
Sixty-eight percent of addicts smoked sheesha before turning to drugs and 67.4 percent took drugs outside their homes. As many as 36 percent took drugs at night, 22.1 percent in the morning, 12.6 percent in the evening and 17.1 percent at different times. About 62 percent of them started taking drugs before marriage.
Mohammed Al-Waheed of King Saud University said teenagers could be easily enticed by drug dealers. He urged parents to keep a close watch on their children and prevent them from getting into bad company. “If families fail in their duty, drug peddlers will exploit the situation.” He also warned parents against abusing children in front of others, adding it would encourage them to join bad company.
“Families, mosques and schools can play a big role in fighting drugs,” he added.
Abdullah Al-Yousuf of Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University said bad friends are one of the reasons for drug addiction. “If an individual does not have affinity for other family members, he or she may develop a tendency to take drugs,” he said.
The study showed that 76 percent thought of ending their lives while 53.4 percent tried to commit suicide. Some addicts commit suicide because of a prick of conscience and social rejection.
