Kuwait in Arab talks to tackle emerging drug challenges
The second meeting of the joint committee of experts and representatives from the ministries of Justice, Interior, and Health, along with relevant Arab authorities, began Monday in Cairo to update the “Arab Model Law on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances,” with Kuwait participating.
Dr. Maha Bakhit, Director of Legal Affairs at the League of Arab States, stated that drug use has risen recently, with a decline in traditional drugs like heroin and cocaine and a surge in synthetic alternatives. These new drugs are cheaper and easier to produce, making them attractive to criminal networks, Arab media reports.
She noted that these networks exploit legal loopholes to create unclassified compounds, which Jalal Tawfiq, President of the International Narcotics Control Board, described as a major threat to global public health due to their potentially devastating effects.
Bakhit stressed the responsibility of participants to draft legislation that effectively counters this growing threat and prevents its spread across Arab societies.
The two-day meeting will focus on updating the provisions of the Arab model law.
