New York – The UAE has reaffirmed its strong commitment to effectively address the global drug problem, confirming its success in reducing drug use within its territories by record levels.

New York – The UAE has reaffirmed its strong commitment to effectively address the global drug problem, confirming its success in reducing drug use within its territories by record levels.

In a statement during a United Nations General Assembly meeting on the world drug problem which concluded yesterday, Colonel Saeed Abdullah Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the Anti-Narcotics Federal Directorate-General at the Ministry of Interior and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Combating Drugs, said, “There are just a few years left until we reach the deadline for achieving the goals and objectives of the world drug problem and we are still seeing the problem worsening and its adverse effect on human health and well-being.”

Al Suwaidi, also noted that the thirtieth special session of the General Assembly meeting on the world drug problem confirms joint international commitment to addressing the issue effectively.

He also spoke about the UAE Government’s active efforts in this regard, he said, “The UAE has implemented a number of national drug prevention programmes which have contributed to reducing the rate of drug use by 7% in 2014 and 8% in 2015.”

Al Suwaidi went on to point out that the UAE’s doubling efforts has also resulted in a significantly higher number of drug dealer arrests made, with a 9% increase in 2014 and 15% in 2015.