World Drug Day - 'The evidence is clear: Invest in prevention'

The Sultanate of Oman joined the international community in celebrating World Drug Day which falls on July 26. This year’s celebration comes under the slogan 'The evidence is clear: Invest in prevention', with the aim of highlighting the need for an evidence-based approach to addressing the global drug problem.

The drug problem affects millions, from individuals with substance use disorders to communities affected by drug trafficking and organised crime. This year's World Drug Day campaign emphasises the importance of prevention strategies based on scientific evidence that respect human rights and promote health and well-being.

Colonel Said bin Salem al Maawali, Assistant Director-General of Combating Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, said: “This year’s celebration focuses on the prevention process to address this problem according to a methodology based on scientific and practical evidence and full respect for human rights, which gives priority for prevention, treatment and a deep understanding of the social, economic and health impacts of drug and psychotropic substance abuse.”

The Sultanate of Oman is not one of the producing or consuming countries, but it is considered a crossing point for some countries due to its geographical location, as it is considered a crossing point for some producing countries. Oman's efforts are focused on increasing awareness within Omani society about the dangers of drugs and other psychotropic substances.

In the latest statistics by the National Centre for Statistics and Information, the Sultanate of Oman recorded about 2,994 drug crimes in 2022, of which 2,115 crimes were committed by Omanis, and 879 by expatriates. Lawyers also confirm that the most common type of drug is morphine, and abuse usually begins in the early twenties.

Consecutive studies in both the United States of America and Britain indicate a high death rate among young addicts. If death does not occur, the addict is exposed to permanent brain damage.

According to the Royal Oman Police, the legally prescribed penalties for crimes of drugs and psychotropic substances differ between the smuggler, the dealer and the abuser, in which the smuggler is the one who receives the basic drugs from the countries they are smuggled from, and is punished according to the quantity. Sometimes the penalty reaches 25 years and sometimes it reaches life imprisonment.

While the dealer is the one who sells drugs to the user and punished by three to five years jail term, the abuser is the one who uses the dose of drugs in his body and punished from six months to a year.

The General Administration for Combating Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, in cooperation with various formations of the Royal Oman Police, and other concerned authorities, is making great efforts to combat anyone who dares to smuggle and traffic in narcotic substances.