“Taifi”, the second scientific platform of the charitable society for those recovering from drugs and psychotropic substances, was announced under the slogan (Addiction Treatment…Modern Rehabilitation Trends) of the Saudi Society for Addiction Treatment, which came under the patronage of the Eastern Emir of the province, His Highness Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz, and continued for two days at the Sheraton Hotel in Dammam, An Arab plan to reduce demand was launched by the League of Arab States following the completion of the Gulf Strategy to Combat Addiction at the Year and Cooperation Countries level.
Dr. Amr Othman, expert of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, revealed the launch of the first Arab plan to reduce the demand for drugs, which was approved in January last year, the Secretary Said General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, launched the plan in Cairo in late March, where the Arab Plan is considered a guiding policy document for all Arab countries.
He said today, Thursday, during a paper titled (The Experience of the Fund to Combat and Treat Addiction and Abuse), in consultation with all Arab parties and countries, about a year into the Arab plan to reduce the demand for drugs. It took place. Stating that the features of the plan include 3 axes, which are (Databases – Developing policies – Comprehensiveness of all aspects of drug demand reduction) Stating that the three levels of addiction treatment include prevention – early detection To provide treatment, rehabilitation and community integration.
He also revealed the parallel completion of the Gulf Strategy to Combat Addiction at the level of the GCC countries, noting that the strategy was developed under the supervision of the General Secretariat of the GCC Countries in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior of the UAE. The UAE Ministry of Interior hosted a workshop for all relevant institutions at the Gulf level, emphasizing that the strategy is being prepared in a participatory framework, and is expected to be approved in the near future, as This will prove to be a milestone in reducing the demand. This strategy focuses on reducing and combating drug demand.
He stressed that the draft of the Gulf Strategy to Combat Addiction was completed three weeks ago, and that the draft took approximately six months, and expressed keenness to prepare the strategy in partnership with the United Nations and the Gulf Cooperation Council. The result was. The framework in all the Gulf countries, noting that a number of experts from the Gulf Office and the Gulf Office Vienna were attracted, and the strategic axis was determined, pointing out that the strategic position of the Gulf states makes them a transit point. Security unrest in neighboring countries of the Gulf states, which was reflected in efforts to enter narcotics into the Gulf states. Apart from the economic aspect that it targets, he also warned about the growth of synthetic drugs at the global level as well as in the Gulf countries, as synthetic drugs are distributed in many forms such as shabu and others.
Dr. Amr Othman said the Arab plan to reduce drug demand is the first of its kind in the region, which was launched in 2023 in the presence of the Secretary-General of the Arab League, meaning drug treatment and rehabilitation. , Dr. Ahmed Abul Gheit, and the United Nations Under-Secretary-General, Dr. Ghada Wali, corresponding Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, indicated that the Arab Plan has been approved by all Member States. And the Arab Plan constitutes the guiding framework for all Arab strategies in reducing drug demand, indicating that the Arab Plan sets the standards while some Arab countries have developed strategies for reducing drug demand guided by the Arab Plan. , which emphasized the importance of Arab strategies to reduce drug demand in line with international standards.
Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Dakhil, former president of the Saudi Society for Social Studies, said in a paper titled (Social Integration Programs for Addicts and Recoveries) that social integration of drug addicts is an important process. This process aims to effectively rehabilitate and integrate into society and involves a set of programs and strategies designed to help individuals overcome the challenges of addiction and build a healthy, productive life. But, pointing out that the impact of addiction on social life is represented by weakened relationships, social isolation, loss of livelihoods and loss of skills, it shows that the concept of social integration has the potential to empower people recovering from addiction. Is the process. Or those who receive treatment for addiction in order to become an effective and productive part of society, emphasizing that social integration is a process aimed at people regardless of economic and cultural background or any personal challenges. Without, society has to include individuals from all social groups equally.
He explained that the difference between the addict and the recovering person lies in the fact that the recovering person needs support to maintain recovery and strategies to prevent relapse, and the addict needs immediate therapeutic treatment. Intervention and risk management are required, he said, adding that its aspects include rehabilitation of addicts to social integration, treatment programs to overcome addiction and psychological and social support, customizing programs, comprehensive integration, continuous evaluation and community collaboration. importance is emphasized Is.
Dr. Muhammad Al-Zahrani, former director of the Erada Mental Health Complex in Dammam, said that addiction is a global problem, as an annual increase is recorded in the number of addicts, which shows that the barriers to rehabilitation of addiction cases are by nature are distributed. Addiction, Addicts, Families, Awareness and Rehabilitation programs, explaining that there are barriers to treatment programs: Increasing pressure on workers.
He recommended the need to expand social and economic empowerment programs for people recovering from addiction, to address their role in reducing addiction recidivism, as well as create a supportive legislative environment for small projects for those recovering from addiction. And business incubators can also be developed to support small projects for them. in recovery.
Dr. Ihab Al-Kharrat, former president of the International Association to Combat Abuse and Addiction, in a paper titled (The role of the medical community in the rehabilitation of drug addicts) explained that society uses the term rehabilitation centers to describe Used as an expression. Addicts, especially those with social orientation, indicate that there are several approaches to rehabilitating addicts, including: the medical model and the social model or social rehabilitation.
Ahmed Eid, an expert at an American non-profit organization for the treatment of drug addicts, noted in a paper titled (Experience of the Minnesota Rehabilitation Center in the United States), which deals with programs related to the later stages of addiction, that its importance indicates. Developing an integrated program tailored to the type of disease, as addiction is considered one of the chronic diseases, emphasizing that the disease of addiction requires the person to resist temptations to return to drug use throughout their life. Have to do. As family problems arise, the addicted patient is at risk for relapse.
He drew attention to the existence of a study confirming the persistence of 74% of graduates of addiction treatment programs to resist a return to drug use during the first year, while 25% of graduates during the first six months. Going back to drug use, and that for context, all age groups are at risk for relapse, some of these are family problems and social and economic pressures.