Report: Soodh
National Narcotics Control Bureau Chief, Deputy Minister of Gender and Family Dr. Abdullah Waheed has denied the Associated French Press (AFP) report claims that 20 percent of the Maldivians under the age of 15 use illicit narcotics.Speaking to Velidhoo Community, Dr. Waheed said that the statistics portrayed in the report is not valid. He said that no survey has been conducted targeting that age group to find out the proportion of substance abusers in the country.
However, Deputy Minister did admit that the average age at which Maldivians experimenting drugs in the recent years has gone as low as 12 years. He said that young children start smoking cigarettes at that age and tend towards using various substances.
Dr. Waheed said that National Narcotic Control Bureau estimates 5000 drug users in the country, in which the majority lives in Male’.
He said that the Bureau is providing rehabilitation services in Noonu, Lhaviyani, Seenu and Fuvah Mulah Atoll. Dr. Waheed also noted that the government is going to introduce community rehabilitation services in all atolls. He also said that more than 1700 people have thus far received treatment from the rehabilitation service.
VELIDHOO NEWS
velidhoocommunity@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment