Interior Minister chairs National Anti-drug Committee meeting; says protecting youth is collective responsibility

Manama, June 21 (BNA): Interior Minister Lieutenant General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa chaired today the meeting of the National Committee for Drug Control.

The meeting was attended by members of the committee representing ministers and government institutions.

On behalf of the members of the National Committee, the Minister of Interior expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for issuing a decree restructuring the National Drug Control Authority. A committee. The committee members appreciated the confidence of His Royal Highness.

The minister welcomed the members, stressing his appreciation for cooperation and coordination between all parties and civil society institutions, praising the role of the General Department of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Sciences, through the Drug Control Directorate, in carrying out its duties and providing its services. Awareness needed to protect children and youth.

The committee reviewed a comprehensive summary reflecting the achievements in the field of drug control in the period from 2020 to March 2023.

In the field of seizure and control, the number of cases reached 3,491, while the amount of narcotics seized during that period amounted to 2,993 kilograms.

The Drug Control Directorate won first place in 2022 in the category of the best international, media and practical cooperation in the field of drug control.

The briefing also touched on the awareness efforts undertaken by the General Directorate of Media and Security Culture and the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Sciences, in addition to the launch of the second version of the national plan to combat narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, which extends until 2026.

Reference was also made to the “recovery” program, which was launched in 2018 and aims to correct the behavior of drug users, especially young people, and reintegrate them into society, after transferring them from the category of drug users to the category of drug users. who have recovered from addiction.

In this regard, the Minister of Interior, Chairman of the National Committee for Drug Control, praised the national project to monitor, analyze and increase recovery rates from drug addiction, which is being implemented using artificial intelligence technology in cooperation with Harvard Medical School. and Oxford universities. He stressed the need to continue working in this field, in a way that contributes to transferring the project from the local level to the Gulf and global level.

The agenda of the National Committee also included the issue of criminalizing volatile solvents and the procedures used in confiscating electronic cigarettes in light of their impact on school students and controlling the phenomenon of smoking. The minister praised the role of the Ministry of Education, stressing the importance of providing more lectures in schools, youth centers and clubs in order to educate youth and youth.

During the meeting, the National Committee discussed strengthening the supervisory role of the Ministry of Health over prescriptions for psychotropic substances and narcotics, reducing addiction to them, and preventing their misuse, through the use of electronic systems for prescribing and dispensing. The minister also praised the role of the Ministry of Health in controlling the dispensing of these medicines through electronic distribution.

The committee also reviewed the course of the Ministry of Youth Affairs in implementing the national plan to combat narcotics and psychotropic substances. In this regard, the Chairman of the National Committee stressed the importance of continuous work to protect youth and young people in this regard, stressing that their protection is a shared responsibility with society, indicating that Bahrain is an appropriate environment to participate in the spread. Culture and positivity.

The Minister of Interior expressed his thanks and appreciation to the members of the National Committee for Drug Control for their communication and coordination to protect society from this scourge and increase public safety for all citizens and residents.

M