The fifth phase of the “You’re Stronger than Drugs” campaign was launched on Sunday with the participation of the Egyptian footballer Mohamed Salah as well as other footballers and public figures.
The campaign is released by the ministry of social solidarity’s Fund for Drug Control and Treatment of Addiction (FDCTA). It aims to counter drug addiction and raise awareness of the dangers of addiction.
During a ceremony on Sunday, the FDCTA reviewed the goals of the campaign, and its results during the last period. The campaign came as part of a national strategy against drugs.
The fund’s head Amr Othman said that they are adopting several programmes including eliminating drug addiction, drug prevention, as well as a plan to integrate awareness against drugs in the school curriculum.
Othman also mentioned that there are several legislations to combat drugs, particularly the new draft to combat drug addiction among state employees.
Meanwhile, Salah takes part in a similar campaign dubbed “life is better without smoking,” which kicked off early this Ramadan.
Last March, the parliament’s constitutional and legislative affairs committee approved a draft law to combat drug addiction among state employees. The bill came as part of a massive campaign launched after President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi firmly pledged to fire whoever proved to be a drug addict in any state body in the aftermath of the Cairo Railway Station tragedy.
The bill conditioned the negative results of employees’ drug tests, which are to be carried out by the state’s specialised bodies, in order to appoint new employees or extend their contractual period in state administrative apparatuses, including ministries, public service, or economic bodies.
The bill is to be also applied to those working at public sector companies, care homes, foster care, schools, kindergartens, and private hospitals.
Whoever hires employees proven to be drug addicts or allows them to continue working, will be jailed or fined. In addition to the above, whoever deliberately fakes drug tests results will also face imprisonment.
