Awqaf Ministry launches 'Egypt without Addiction' initiative

CAIRO - 6 September 2018: Awqaf Minister Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa launched on Saturday “Egypt without Addiction” initiative, asserting that any drug that dulls the senses and befogs the mind is prohibited in Islam.

Gomaa staed that some of terrorist groups started to use drugs to hit countries and its finance their terrorist operations.

He called earlier for decisively confronting drug addiction that poses a grave danger to youth and the whole society.

The minister called for fighting drug trafficking and illicit trade that involves the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of narcotic drugs.

He also stressed the importance of stepping up anti-drug media campaigns and giving public lectures at schools and universities to raise awareness of the danger of drug addiction.

The general rule in Islam is that any beverage that get people intoxicated when taken is prohibited, both in small and large quantities, whether it is alcohols, drugs, fermented raisin drink or something else.

Egypt suffers from an increasing drug problem that officials are struggling to stem. Egypt’s Minister of Social Solidarity, Ghada Wali, said in January that the rate of drug addiction in Egypt had risen to 10 percent (9.6 million people) and is twice the global rates.

Also, the General Secretariat of Egypt's Mental Health and Addiction Treatment, which is affiliated to the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), launched on this initiative to raise awareness on drug addiction and how to avoid it for youth in all Egyptian governorates.

Alexandria will be the first governorate to launch the initiative due to the addiction treatment services available in Al Mamoura mental health hospital and many other mental health hospitals, Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said.

Megahed said that the initiative aims to reach all citizens in Egyptian governorates, pointing out that the initiative will provide awareness campaigns on the dangers of addiction and how to recover from it.