Drugs are fueling the crime wave in Kuwait

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 14: The recent tragic killing in Sabah Al-Salem region, in which a Kuwaiti woman in her forties was killed by her 28-year-old son, who also injured his ten-year-old brother, has sparked debate about the reasons behind the increase in domestic violence and family crimes in Kuwait. In a study, several experts attributed the increase in such crimes to increasing drug abuse. They said: “Despite the Home Office’s continued efforts to combat addiction and drug trafficking, progress can only be made through collective action. Just as it is not possible to clap with one hand, no single entity can tackle this problem alone.” The experts stressed the importance of addressing the root causes of the rise in addiction rates by intensifying community-wide awareness campaigns in this area. The former Director General of the General Department of Drug Control (DCGD), Bader Al-Ghadouri, attributed the tragic incident that occurred recently, when a 28-year-old man killed his mother and injured his little brother, to increasing drug use and human trafficking.

Al-Ghadouri said: “Despite the Ministry of Interior’s continued efforts to combat this problem, rising addiction rates are having a devastating impact, especially on the values and behavior of young people. In the past, the common motive for murders was often arguments over women, but now the cause is often linked to drugs. In light of rising addiction rates, many attorneys I have met have reported that drug-related cases now represent approximately 60 percent of court cases, compared to 40 to 45 percent in the past.” Al-Ghadouri also emphasized that unemployment is a major factor contributing to drug abuse, especially among those receiving unemployment assistance, in addition to the influence of bad company. He stressed the need for greater efforts to tackle the behavior of addicts and drug dealers, especially in prisons, especially since the young man who killed his mother in Sabah Al-Salem committed the crime shortly after being released from prison.

Lack of the role of schools
Al-Ghadouri expressed concern over the lack of effective role played by both the government and private schools in providing awareness and prevention programs to protect students from addiction. He explained that some schools occasionally hold drug awareness lectures, but these efforts are often scattered and inconsistent. Unfortunately, these lectures have become more of a routine process aimed at fulfilling a requirement, rather than an effective means of addressing the problem. As a result, they do not achieve the desired effect. Al-Ghadouri stressed the need for the Ministry of Education to take a more proactive approach by urging schools to intensify their efforts in monitoring and supporting students. He called for greater involvement of psychological and social specialists, with more targeted and specialized monitoring of student well-being. He added that it is important to include these specialists in training.

In addition, Al-Ghadouri recommended that the Ministry of Education authorize all schools to provide students with a questionnaire that will allow their families to assess their social and environmental backgrounds, behavioral problems, academic performance and other relevant factors. He affirmed the importance of activating the role of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs by organizing more lectures and forums to educate both parents and students about the dangers of addiction so that strong religious values can be instilled in children to help them to help prevent them from falling into disrepair. addiction. Al-Ghadouri also called on the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs to send messages to society that emphasize faith-based perspectives and warn about the risks of addiction. He urged the Ministry of Health to expand the network of addiction treatment centers to ensure that all people suffering from addiction have access to the support and care they need.

Divorce rates
Al-Ghadouri stressed the importance of involving civil society institutions in discussions on the factors contributing to the rise in divorce rates in the country. He pointed out that the high divorce rate is one of the main factors leading to behavioral problems in children and their susceptibility to addiction. Al-Ghadouri referred to recent statistics from the Kuwaiti Society for the Prevention of Family Disintegration, which were based on data from the Ministry of Justice. He said figures for July 2024 show that about 835 divorce cases were registered in that month, while about 1,314 marriages took place in the same period.

The Addict Who Sold His Honor In a related context, Dr. Khader Al-Baroun, professor of psychology at Kuwait University, explains that homicides, especially family murders, often have several motives, one of which is rising addiction rates. An addict who desperately needs money to buy drugs may resort to extreme measures, including murder, similar to the tragic case of a young man who recently killed his mother. An addict may be willing to sacrifice everything, including his dignity and integrity, to feed his addiction. Addicts have been known to sell their land, steal and even offer their wives, daughters or sisters to drug dealers in exchange for a dose of drugs. In extreme cases, an addict might even be willing to sell his honor just to gain access to more drugs. The young man who murdered his mother did not act out of distraction, but was instead driven entirely by the need to obtain money for drugs at any cost. Dr. Al-Baroun highlighted several factors that contribute to addiction, including lack of supervision and excessive spending on children, which can lead to boredom and a feeling of emptiness. He emphasized the importance of providing young people with meaningful work opportunities after graduation to prevent them from falling into destructive habits. Dr. Al-Baroun also identified other causes of addiction, such as feelings of frustration related to sexual impotence, the influence of bad company, emotional failure and academic setbacks. In many cases, people struggling with these issues may turn to drugs as a way to escape their reality. Addiction Indicators Dr. Al-Baroun highlighted several warning signs of addiction that families should be aware of in their children.

These include:
– Frequent requests for money, often without clear explanation.
– Withdrawal and isolation, where the child spends long periods of time alone in his or her room.
– Visible needle marks on the arms.
– Missing money or jewelry from the house.
– A persistent runny nose, which can be a physical sign of substance abuse.
– Presence of small spoons with burn marks in their room or kitchen.
– Intentional absence from home for more than two days.

The mother was not spared. Lawyer Hamdan Al-Namshan, advisor to the Kuwait Journalists Association, condemned the recent heinous crime in which a young man killed his mother, calling it a heinous act. He emphasized the seriousness of the crime, as the mother, who carried him in her womb for nine months, is the very person whom Islam commanded to honor and respect. Lawyer Al-Namshan referred to a famous hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), in which a man asked the Prophet: “Who among the people most deserves my good treatment?” and the prophet replied: “Your mother.” The man asked again, “Who now?” and the prophet repeated: “Your mother.” When asked a third question, the prophet again answered, “Your mother.”

Only after the fourth question did the Prophet (SAW) say: “Then your father.” He explained that the young man’s willingness to kill his mother, to obtain money for drugs or other purposes, shows how disconnected his mind was from reality. He was willing to kill his mother and brother in his desperate search for money. It is important that families keep a close eye on their children from an early age and teach them Islamic values, as a significant portion of the cases currently before the courts are drug-related, whether addiction or human trafficking, with such cases now represent more than 60 cases. percent of the total number of cases in recent years. Despite major efforts by the state through the Ministry of Interior to combat the problem, drugs continue to spread, largely due to the drug trafficking mafia’s ability to innovate new methods of smuggling substances into the country. Drug-related crimes are considered serious crimes, regardless of whether they involve addiction or human trafficking.

A convicted addict could face a prison sentence of more than five years, although a judge may consider the individual’s future, especially if it is their first offense. On the other hand, drug dealers can face prison terms of ten years or more, with the possibility of the death penalty if the arrest involves both trafficking and distribution. While the laws are strict and intended to act as a deterrent, the real challenge remains the lack of public awareness about the dangers of drug use and trafficking. Lawyer Al-Namshan regretted that a small group of lawyers often abuse legal loopholes in the judicial process, allowing some suspects to escape punishment. He emphasized that statements should be based on certainty and conviction, and not on doubt.

Family crimes
Social science expert Dr. Ahmed Salama linked the country’s rising addiction rates to rising cases of family crimes. He said: “For addicts, the driving force behind such crimes is often the need to get money by any means necessary, especially when drugs have a strong influence on their behaviour.” Dr. Salama indicated that the onset of criminal behavior in adolescents often begins with negative influences from peers. He also highlighted the role of rising divorce rates, which lead to family fragmentation and can push children toward addiction, especially in the absence of strong family support. Dr. Salama affirmed the need for civil society institutions to come together and organize forums and lectures to raise awareness about the dangers of drugs. He stressed the importance of awareness campaigns in schools, through the media and the collective efforts of all ministries in the country. Dr. Salama revealed that the majority of recent murders in the country appear to be drug-related, with the offenders’ use of various psychotropic substances leading to a loss of mental clarity and impulse control.

By Najeh Bilal

Staff of Al-Seyassah/Arab Times