It also showed that the number of drug and psychotropic substance cases investigated by the prosecution reached 773; including possession, trafficking, importation and use within the same period, at a rate of six cases per day. In light of the growing phenomenon and shocking figures, lawyers and experts have warned about the catastrophic repercussions of drugs, which go beyond health damage and the destruction of the mind and body to affect societal, economic and family security. Attorney Enaam Haider asserted that “the scourge of drugs does not distinguish between the rich and poor, educated and illiterate. It destroys the nervous system and plunges people into a cycle of severe depression and psychosis, which results in family disintegration, wasted youthful energy, and crimes alien to society.” She pointed out the “alarming increase” in the number of people seeking treatment, especially young people; while warning about the spread of new “dangerous and adulterated” types of drugs sold at low prices, thereby, expanding the base of those at risk. Attorney Ali Al-Wawan described the relationship between drugs and crime as “an unambiguous causal relationship;” indicating that the vast majority of robbery crimes, pickpocketing, embezzlement and some horrific murders and domestic assaults, are primarily motivated by financing the purchase of the next dose.

He added, “in his desperate quest to satisfy his desire, the addict loses any sense of morality or fear of the law.” He stressed the seriousness of the crimes of trafficking, storage and promotion led by organized criminal networks that “generate huge profits at the expense of the destruction of society.” Attorney Abdul Mohsen Al-Qattan highlighted the human cost hidden behind the numbers, saying: “Behind every drug statistics are tragic human stories and families swept away by the fierce winds of addiction.” He pointed out the suffering of “families groaning under the burden of debt to treat an addicted child, families losing their breadwinners behind bars, and mothers weeping over children killed by overdose or clashes with drug dealers.” He cited testimonies from courtrooms showing how the lives of promising young people “turned into hell because of their first step into the world of drugs,” with the darkness of addiction driving them to commit acts that people would have been the most distant from.