de Coning E, Stølsvik G. Combating organised crime at sea: what is the role of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime? Int J Mar Coast Law. 2013;28(1):189–204 doi.org/10.1163/15718085-12341263. The illegal use of prescribed medicines for medical purposes is a global health problem, and our data confirms that the State of Kuwait is no exception. Several different psychoactive substances were seized by Kuwaiti law enforcement, including tramadol and benzodiazepines. Our data show that confirmed users of psychoactive substances have also tested positive for other illicit drugs (i.e., heroin, cannabis and methamphetamine). Therefore, it can be assumed that the abuse of these psychoactive drugs was associated with behavioural addictions rather than for medical purposes. These substances were abused for pleasure purposes to induce an altered state of consciousness by altering the user`s perceptions, feelings, and emotions. Kuwait is a party to several international treaties on organized crime, which appear to provide the country with sufficient grounds to implement effective measures to combat organized crime. Kuwait`s central role in the Gulf Cooperation Council and its close ties with the United States are also central elements of its international cooperation efforts. In addition, UNODC and INTERPOL support Kuwaiti initiatives to combat organized crime, while UNDP works with Nazaha to promote the fight against corruption. Kuwait has extradition treaties with several countries, but a number of African states have prohibitions that prevent their nationals from being recruited as domestic workers in Kuwait because they are more vulnerable to exploitation.
Although Kuwaiti legislation criminalizes human smuggling and trafficking, as well as other crimes relevant to this index, many laws remain unenforced. Weak OSH measures deprive workers of protection from exploitative practices, and sponsorship laws link the legal residency and valid immigration status of migrant workers to employers, restricting their freedom of movement and penalizing workers fleeing abusive employment. Corruption also hampers law enforcement, with officials selling work permits to illegal recruitment agencies and accepting bribes so that offenders can avoid investigation or prosecution. The Abu Dhabi government focuses on strong family ties, close ties within family members and the responsibility of parents to instill values in children to prevent people from abusing drugs. In addition, the National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) in Abu Dhabi studies issues related to drug addiction and offers rehabilitation and treatment to drug addicts. Further information in this regard can be provided by a lawyer in Dubai. In Abu Dhabi, a dye can only be arranged by a HAAD approved doctor for an inpatient and must be written on the agreed narcotic preparation form. Private companies for the outpatient supply of narcotics are often not allowed. However, exceptions will be considered at the request of a medical director.
In addition, a psychotropic drug for an outpatient can only be administered by a HAAD-approved doctor. There are specific requirements for psychotropic drugs known as CDa. These must be agreed on the official form of psychotropic preparation. Now, there are UAE federal restrictions on the delivery time of CDa and Cbd drugs, which depends on the status of the prescribing doctor. Color (spot) is the most common presumptive screening test used in forensic laboratories. Specific instructions and protocols described by Clarke`s analysis of drugs and poisons have been used to identify illegal drugs [19]. The Marquis reagent was used for the detection of opiate amphetamine and methamphetamine, Duquenois-Levine and Fast Blue B reagents used to test cannabinoids in cannabis, and Scott`s reagent for cocaine detection. A cross-sectional questionnaire of Kuwaiti male students (n = 1587) revealed that the most commonly used illicit substances were marijuana (11 per cent), stimulants (7.1 per cent), cocaine (2.2 per cent) and heroin (1.3 per cent) (13). Omu et al. (2017) conducted a survey of illegal drug abuse among youth (15 to 18 years old) between September 2012 and June 2013 [14].
The results showed that the trend towards illegal drug abuse is increasing, especially among older adolescents. Hashish (marijuana) was the most common illicit substance used among current and previous users, at 3.7% and 5.3% respectively [14]. A Kuwaiti pilot study confirmed the link between self-esteem and anxiety and the behavior of drug addicts [16]. Wilby and Wilbur assessed the demand for narcotics in various Arabic-speaking countries in the Middle East [17]. Bahrain and Kuwait recorded the highest estimated rate (364 and 352 doses defined per million population per day, respectively) and the highest growth rates (2008-2012). Drug addicts in the kingdom are between 12 and 22 years old and 40 percent depend on substances to fill a void, says Abdelelah Mohammed Al-Sharif, secretary-general of the National Drug Control Committee and deputy director of drug control and prevention affairs. The role of this body is to protect citizens from the harmful effects of drugs by implementing national programmes and policies in cooperation with public and private institutions. Captagon pills are the most popular with young drug addicts. Saudi Arabia is a party to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961), the 1972 Protocol Amending the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971) and the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988).
Radovanovic et al.