Drugs in Kuwait
July 3rd, 2008
[LONG POST BUT INTERESTING]
Read an article in Al Watan Daily which motivated me to write this post. There are around 15,000 drug addicts in Kuwait. Even though security is tight and almost everyday we read in the papers about drug dealers being caught, the amount of drugs in the country is rising and their prices falling. When I say drugs, I mean chemicals such as heroin and cocaine, addictive stuff, physically and mentally. Personally, I don’t consider hash and weed as drugs as they are not addictive, but lets not get into that; its a personal opinion and have gotten into many debates about this. This is gonna be quite a long post as I have a lot to say about this and have seen a lot. None of this stuff is from articles, all is from what I have seen in real life.
The problem in Kuwait is heroin. 10 years ago, a gram of heroin cost 100KD, but today it could cost only 10KD, which is very very cheap. Back in Lebanon, we had to take a course in university about drugs which teaches you a lot. In addition, I have seen many drug cases as I worked in the nightlife for 7 years; trust me, you see a lot working nightclubs. And working the nightlife, you are required to know all about this stuff to monitor drug trafficking in clubs so owners would have their employees attend classes and do volunteer work. Of all the drugs out there, I would have to say that heroin is the most messed up drug anyone can be addicted to.
Heroin literally eats up a person’s body starting with the fat, then the muscles and soon he is all skin and bones; for an addict, that could take up to 4 months to happen. It numbs the brain killing any chances of thinking properly; some people say it helps them focus while studying which is why many university students do it. Well I must admit, that I have seen some people who take it to study and it actually works out for them and they ace exams but what they don’t know is that they are slowly getting addicted and soon enough no quantity will be enough to help them “concentrate”. Their purpose in life will simply be how to manage the money to get the next gram. Not to mention how isolated they become losing complete touch with the social life and are soon forgotten. It is a nasty nasty nasty drug; starts out with being fun and “feeling good” and ends up being a home wrecker.
Heroin is taken in three ways. First is sniffing or snorting which is the most common; get a straw and sniff it. Chasing the dragon by which it is placed on an aluminum foil and heated from the bottom with a lighter or something and then inhaled from the mouth with a thick straw. Then you got the needles which addicts can puncture any part of their body into a blood vessel. Disgusting.
Psychologists and doctors say the main reason people turn to drugs is a lack of strong religious and family values. Well, in some cases, yeah it is. But most of the cases I have seen are of students of good families with strong ties. The main reason behind drug abuse, to me, is curiousity. Kids and students want to experience that “rush” feeling, think it will help them study, and they want to “chill”. One other major thing that could influence people to take drugs are their surroundings and who they hang out with; pretty much like the 15 year old kids you see today outside schools smoking cigarettes.
The biggest decision and step any addict can take is quitting, going through rehab, and get his/her life back together. The cleaning process could take up to one month, and it can be the worst life experience anyone can have; could get to points when the patient wishes death. That is the physical addiction. The psychological addiction is even worse; takes much longer that rehab centers do not approve that an addict is cured until at least 6 months have passed. In Kuwait, 400 addicts have been cured so far by rehab centers; but it is not over for these people, it is only the beginning and not until at least one year has passed will they get their lives back.
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Great post, Fonz, I learned a lot I didn’t know. I am astonished at the sheer amount of drug availability in Kuwait, and the casualness with which people indulge.
u’d be surprised by the age group who do that stuff here… all kids
Well written post, got me hooked. Never thought i would read such a long post.
Some say drugs are easier to find on the Kuwaiti high street than say, good books, music or cinema.
One time I was almost pushed off the road by a sixty-seventy something guy, Fonz, and clearly, this guy was not tracking. I think he was on something, but it may have been a prescription drug.
I don’t know how far this is true but my sources tell me the Bangladeshi drug mafia in this country is working in cahoots with certain black sheep in KWPD.
Drugs, I can still understand but it’s underage smoking that gets the spleen. What kind of parental supervision is there for most kids in Kuwait ?
Hi there ,,, am a recoverey addicted ,,, am clean now for almost 8 years ,, maybe as muche there are drugs in kuwait ,, there are drugs in the world ,, any country is effected ,, the problem is not the drugs by it side ,, the problem is how can we make cumunety understand the real addict and how can we mange there way to be better people who can live normaly ,,, but about the number of drugs here in kuwait ,, its too much as no one can belive ,, and the biggest problem here we dont have that big boss Action that we see in other sides ,, here in kuwait any one who use drugs he waill be a dealer one day ,,, maybe no one can understand that but its the fact ,,, and thanx for the artticel its nice …