‘Cigarettes: A step towards drug addiction’

Ninety-nine per cent of heroine addicts are originally smokers, revealed a senior anti-narcotics official from the Dubai Police, during Thursday’s launch of a campaign against drugs that will run from Oct.2-27, 2011. “Be it marijuana, heroine or alcoholism, our findings show that most of those who are addicted to these vices were originally smokers,” said the deputy director of General Department of Anti-Narcotics, Col. Mohammed Al Kawaari at the police headquarters. The department was launching an anti-smoking and drugs campaign running under the slogan: “Smoking and Drugs Destroy Your Life” on Thursday. He said the campaign targets youth, both male and female, families, officials from government and private organisations and travellers. Schools and other educational institutions will have different messages tailored to suit different target segments. “We shall liaise with the administrators as well as parents,” he said, adding that the campaign is going to “incorporate massive publicity to see to it that the message reaches far and wide.” He said fliers, prints on shopping bags of union co-operative societies, among others, would be used to reach the message to the public. “We shall highlight the punishments meted out to drug users besides requesting government authorities to report drug-addicted employees.” “But most important of all, we are seeking to emphasise the importance of prevention and avoidance. This we shall do by way of raising awareness among all sections of the community about the dangers of smoking and potential drug intake.” Among the dangers Col Al Khawaari highlighted is family breakdown and “the community going several steps backwards because of a generation spoilt due to drug addiction.” He urged parents to get “deeply involved” seeing to it that their children do not take to drugs, because “that would wipe the smile off their faces.” He requested them and the community at large to contact the police through their toll free number 800400400 in order to report any suspected drug-related activities. Regarding Col. Al Kawaari’s assertion that most drug addicts were originally smokers, a report titled “Tobacco: The Smoking Gun” issued by the National Centre on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University in the US, did claim that teens who smoke cigarettes are more likely to drink alcohol and smoke marijuana than teens who do not smoke cigarettes. The report implies that tobacco use plays a role in leading teens to use these other drugs. They support this argument by noting that nicotine use affects the neurotransmitter receptor sites for dopamine and serotonin, two neurotransmitters involved in addiction and mood, respectively. ( from the gulf today )