Drug Administration at the Saudi Interior Ministry has announced an expected 9 percent annual rise in drug-related crime in the Kingdom through the year 2012 unless something serious is done about drug use here. Drug use is a particularly difficult crime both to police and to prevent. It can also be a particularly destructive crime to the individual and to society if society does not take a deeply considered and profoundly humane approach to the problem. Law enforcement, of course, is the number one recourse when fighting drug use in just about any country, but it is not always the most effective. Certainly, the borders must be patrolled, smuggling operations disrupted and smugglers and dealers pursued. The fact that such operations are carried out and sometimes severe penalties are imposed on criminals, drug use continues to be constant or to be on the rise. There is little reason to be surprised that those looking to profit from drugs continue their activities. Until the market is under control, there will continue to be money to be made. Education, of course, should be the primary weapon in battling the market. Youngsters from a very young age should be informed about the health hazards and social implications of drug use. There must also be an understanding on the part of public health officials and law enforcement officials that addiction is not only a social evil but a disease as well. Studies are pointing to genetic factors coupled with environmental and social factors as the main culprits in propagating illegal drug use. Until we are able to intervene in the genetic structure that creates a propensity for drug use, we are left with our ability to control the environment. As that ability is far from absolute, we must take into consideration human nature and its shortcomings. The way forward would be improving medical facilities and encouraging addicts to undergo rehab, apart from implementing strict measures to check the spread of drugs in the Kingdom. The current situation along the US-Mexican border where drug gangs are in open warfare with one another is a clear indication of how serious this problem could develop into. The US has clearly failed to bring the situation under control. We often look to the US for clues about modernization. This, however, is one issue where we should look to the US to learn how not to deal with a problem whose dimensions in the Kingdom are only growing. __
