HE the Minister of Culture and Sports and chairman of the subcommittee on drug prevention Salah bin Ghanem al-Ali underlined the importance of preserving family cohesion to protect society from any behavioural deviations, including drugs. In a speech on the occasion of the International Day Against Drug Abuse, HE the minister stressed that the safety of society is the safety of the family and that any threat to the family life affects the cohesion of the community.
Some may mistakenly believe that those who use drugs lack ethical principles or willpower, but they may be surprised that more than 90% of behavioural deviation is due to family disintegration, he explained. Therefore, the subcommittee on drug prevention took the slogan "my family protects me" for 2020 because prevention of delinquency requires family cohesion. After all, it is the most trustworthy incubation for individuals for building themselves and enhancing their self-confidence, the minister said.
The minister pointed out that the slogan "my family protects me" can be achieved by opening communication channels between members of the same family. Good communication between parents and their children helps to strengthen dialogue, discover problems early, support positive behaviour, monitor what happens in the lives of their sons and daughters, and get to know their friends, how and where they spend their time, he added.
It is also achieved by finding ways to resolve emotional conflicts co-operatively with sons and daughters, teaching them how to focus on solutions rather than problems, thinking about the potential consequences of behaviour, and developing communication skills.
By resolution 42/112 of Dec 7, 1987, the General Assembly decided to observe June 26 as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and co-operation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.
This global celebration, which is supported every year by individuals, communities, and various organisations around the world, aims to increase awareness of the main problem posed by drugs in society. The theme of 2020 is 'Better Knowledge for Better Care'. This year's theme aims at improving the understanding of the world drug problem and at fostering greater international co-operation for countering its impact on health, governance, and security.
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