Jordan records ‘notable increase’ in drug-related cases — AND

AMMAN — A total of 12,815 drug-related cases have been recorded between January 2021 and September 2021, Anti-Narcotics Department’s (AND) Director Hassan Qudah stated in the “Sixty Minutes” show, broadcast on Jordan TV on Friday.

There has been a “notable increase” in drug-related cases in the Kingdom, Qudah said.

The Public Security Directorate (PSD) currently provides 160 treatment spots in Anti-Narcotics rehabilitation centres, Qudah added.

“A total of 6,196 people have been caught in drug abuse and drug dealing cases and 19,000 people have been involved in 12,815 drug cases,” Qudah stated. 

There are currently three facilities where people in Jordan can receive treatment and rehabilitation services: The National Centre for the Rehabilitation of Addicts, operated by the Ministry of Health, the Police Treatment Centre, operated by the PSD’s Anti-Narcotics Department, and a private treatment facility, operated by Al Rashid Hospital in Amman, according to the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, released by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

Qudah added that Jordan continues to be a transit point for drug trafficking. However, according to Qudah, no narcotics are produced in the Kingdom. 

The new amendments to Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law will apply harsh sanctions for drug-related cases, he said.

A psychiatrist, who preferred to be anonymous, defined narcotics as drugs that help relieve severe pain. 

However, the excessive use of narcotics can lead to addition, he added. 

Addictive substances, such as narcotics, affect human brain areas and can eventually affect the patient’s behaviour, the psychiatrist told The Jordan Times.  

“In addition to the legal problems the patient will face if caught possessing or under the influence of narcotics, they will also face ongoing social difficulties with their families and friends,” said the psychiatrist.