Officials and experts who participated in a seminar organized by the International Protection Center under the patronage of the Commander in Chief of Dubai Police, Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al-Marri, called for the necessity of preparing psychological and social studies on the expected psychological impact on society and its members, especially drug users, due to the Corona pandemic and what it imposed from staying at home for periods long.
They revealed that the psychological consequences of this pandemic may reach rates ranging between 4% and 41%, an increase in the incidence of mental illness, while studies expect a high index of addiction to electronic games 75%.
They pointed out that drug addicts are more likely than others to be infected with the Coronavirus, and the risk of infection increases among addicted women more than males, especially the lower classes or those with social and legal problems.
In detail, during the session entitled "Challenges of Dealing with Drug and Psychotropic Substances During the Corona Crisis," Assistant General of Dubai Police for Criminal Investigation Affairs, Major General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansoori, said that addicts face two problems in these circumstances: The first is that they are prisoners of these Toxins, and second, the risks associated with infection with the Coronavirus, in light of the increased risk of developing the disease compared to others.
Al Mansouri stressed that Dubai Police is trying to the best of its ability to provide the necessary protection from this devastating pest, whether through awareness or control efforts, pointing to the importance of reaching quick results on the direct impact of Corona on drug addicts and how to benefit from staying at home for long periods to enhance family closeness and protect children From this danger.
The Director General of the National Center for Rehabilitation, Chairman of the National Committee for Treatment and Rehabilitation at the Drug Control Council, Dr. Hamad Al-Ghafri, said that recent studies suggest that the mental illness index after the Corona pandemic has increased in people who did not suffer from it previously, noting that the incidence of trauma may rise from 4% to 41%, frustration by 7%, pointing out that another study confirmed that addiction to video games may rise by 75% at the world level, and that the difficult circumstances in which the world currently lives has doubled the rate of feelings of fear, anxiety, anger, and mood swings, and this has been reflected in The high rate of domestic violence, and the percentage of using medical drugs and all kinds of drugs.
Al-Ghafri added that addicts suffer by virtue of their illness isolation and weak immunity, which makes them more vulnerable to infection with «Covid 19» than others, pointing out that a recent study revealed that addicted women are more likely to be infected with Corona virus than men who are addicted, especially those who belong to lower social classes and suffer Social problems.
He pointed out that it is striking that the number of patients who are abused increased during the past months of this year compared to the same period last year, despite the precautionary measures that prevent the movement due to the Corona epidemic, and that there is an increase in the index of new disease cases.
For his part, Director of the International Protection Center, Colonel Abdullah Al-Khayyat, said that the annual report of the International Narcotics Control Board for 2019 highlighted a number of important aspects, such as the rise in the phenomenon of drug abuse with a psychological impact among young people in particular.
Alternative drugs
The regional director of the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime in the Gulf Cooperation Council states, Dr. Hatem Ali, said that the repercussions of the Corona virus from the closure of borders and airports prompted drug smuggling gangs to manufacture narcotic drugs that are alternative to traditional to facilitate the shipment process, and resorted to alternative smuggling methods in light of preventing Traveling right now, like relying on commercial shipping.