Kuwait intensifies drug awareness campaign

• The campaign emphasizes prevention and provides medical consultations and educational materials.

• The ministry highlighted the various factors contributing to drug addiction and its negative consequences.

• Kuwait is actively working to prevent the entry of drugs into the country.

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health has launched a comprehensive year-long awareness campaign aimed at combating drug abuse and addiction.

The campaign, themed “The Evidence is Clear… Let’s Invest in Prevention,” is designed to address the growing issue of drug use in the country, reports Al-Jarida newspaper.

As part of its educational efforts, the Health Promotion Department is organizing a health exhibition this weekend. The event will offer free medical consultations, answer public inquiries about drug addiction, and distribute informative materials.

Additionally, a survey will be conducted to gauge public awareness of drug addiction among various age groups.

The ministry emphasized that Kuwait is actively working to prevent the entry of drugs into the country. However, it also acknowledged that drug addiction is a complex issue influenced by a variety of factors, including family, personal, and environmental circumstances.

The ministry explained that drug addiction is a chronic disease that affects the brain and behavior, leading to a loss of control over drug use.

The psychological consequences of addiction include an intense craving for drugs, depression, memory loss, and mental disturbances such as hallucinations and delusions.

Physical complications of drug addiction can be severe and include viral hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, miscarriages, and fetal abnormalities. The ministry outlined the stages of drug addiction treatment, which involve detoxification, managing withdrawal symptoms, and providing psychological counseling.

The importance of family support, parental involvement, and school-based education programs was underscored. The ministry highlighted that factors contributing to drug addiction include psychological instability, peer pressure, family breakdown, social isolation, weak religious beliefs, and feelings of failure or emptiness.

The campaign emphasizes that drugs and alcohol have a detrimental impact on the nervous system, leading to brain damage, memory loss, hallucinations, and depression. Furthermore, intravenous drug use increases the risk of contracting infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.