Abu dhabi: Under the patronage of Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, and the follow-up of Major General Eid Mohammed bin Thani, Assistant Commandant for Criminal Investigation, the Dubai Police General Command organized six awareness exhibitions coinciding with the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
According to Emirates News Agency, the exhibitions, held under the slogan 'United as One to Eradicate the Threat', took place at Dubai Hills Mall, Al Reef Mall, Century Mall, BurJuman Centre, Al Ghurair Centre, and the Student Summer Courses venue. The initiative aimed to raise community awareness of the dangers of drugs and strengthen the family's role in protecting children from this serious scourge.
Brigadier Khalid bin Muwaiza, Director of the General Department of Anti-Narcotics, stated that the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is an important occasion for raising awareness of the dangers of narcotic substances and emphasizing the importance of combining all efforts to combat this serious scourge that threatens communities and families on all levels.
Brig. bin Muwaiza affirmed Dubai Police's commitment to enhancing its efforts in combating drugs and raising awareness of their dangers through all available means, in order to form an impenetrable shield against this dangerous scourge on individuals and society. He noted that the exhibitions focused specifically on strengthening the family's preventive and supervisory role against drugs, empowering parents to protect their children, address dangerous behaviors, and equip them with the scientific and practical knowledge to enhance positive communication.
Meanwhile, Brigadier Dr. Abdul Rahman Sharaf Al Maamari, Director of the Hemaya International Centre, stated that the awareness exhibitions included workshops, lectures, and other awareness activities, along with an explanation of key legal provisions that contribute to providing a supportive legal environment for families in addressing addiction issues.
Among the most prominent of these is Article 89 of the UAE Federal Law on Combating Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances, which stipulates that individuals who voluntarily seek help for addiction must receive treatment support without legal repercussions. This article also allows first- and second-degree family members to submit a treatment request on behalf of the addict, reinforcing the family's role in early intervention to provide support, enabling addicts to receive treatment in specialized centres, and facilitating recovery and return to normal life.
The exhibitions also introduced Article 64, which focuses on imposing penalties for crimes related to the transfer of funds for the purpose of purchasing narcotic substances, whether by the person themselves or through others, with the intent to commit any of the crimes of drug addiction or personal use of narcotic or psychotropic substances.