Parliamentary Committee issues a growing drug scourge warning

INA-  BAGHDAD


Today, on Thursday, the Parliamentary Committee for Combating Drugs and Psychotropic Substances issued a call to initiate a campaign of education and awareness regarding the risks associated with drugs, in which multiple government agencies are involved. It applauded the recent stance taken by the religious authorities and the government's continued efforts to root out traffickers, but also cautioned about the growing danger posed by this scourge.

"The danger of drug abuse exists and has reached the level of finding drug manufacturing laboratories in a number of Iraqi governorates thanks to the efforts of the security and governmental agencies, which we commend," committee member Arshad Al-Salihi told the Iraqi News Agency (INA). "The position of the supreme authority on the danger of the drug scourge was appropriate."

"We support the Anti-Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Committee and the need for coordination among all security agencies following the supreme authority's very clear statement that forbade drug use," he continued.

He stressed the need for "the production of awareness films to be published on billboards in the streets of all governorates warning of the dangers of drugs in conjunction with the statement of the reference and the directives of the Council of Ministers," noting the need for everyone to participate in this campaign to reduce drug abuse."

He called on "the Communications and Media Commission to direct all Iraqi channels to educate young people about the dangers of drug abuse in line with the statement of the reference and to activate the role of the community police in this regard," emphasizing "the importance of intensifying awareness programs through psychological and media guidance about the dangers of this dangerous scourge."

The Ministry of Interior/General Directorate of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances was to receive one billion dinars per month from the Ministry of Finance to support its efforts in fighting this scourge and to meet its needs. This decision had been made earlier by the Cabinet.