KUWAIT: The number of drug related court cases in Kuwait was 9,787 in the past five years, with 327 related deaths, said head of Al-Sabah Medical Specialist Area Dr Ahmad Al-Shatti. His remarks were made during the Ministry of Health's celebration of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking yesterday.

He called for different sectors in the country to exert further efforts to protect society against the dangers of drugs, including crimes, car crash and money laundering. In the same context, Shatti noted the efforts of the Addiction Treatment Center at Al-Sabah Medical Area in treating drug addicts and bringing awareness to society on the issue.

Meanwhile, head of the center Dr Adel Al-Zayed said that the coronavirus lockdown period made drug prices go higher as it was harder to smuggle it to the country. This step encouraged a lot of people to seek treatment at the center to end their addiction. In 2010, the center turned into a rehabilitation center, providing continuous programs for those who overcame addiction, he added. - KUNA