Workshop aims to raise awareness on drug addiction

BEIRUT: The Skoun addiction rehabilitation center, funded by the United Nations Development Project (UNDP), held a workshop on Thursday for Lebanese municipal leaders to highlight awareness and discuss plans of action to tackle the nation’s drug problem. “Leave the Stigma Behind: Call to a Culture of Acceptance and Understanding” was organized by Skoun to discuss the reality of the addiction problem within Lebanon and to better prepare municipal leaders to tackle the fundamental problems involved with addiction. 

Skoun is a non-profit, non-governmental addiction rehabilitation center based in Monot Street in Achrafieh. 

Skoun treats on average about 120 patients a year and is free to all, with the exception of charges incurred for testing and medication. 

Skoun is also in the process of opening a new center in Beirut where they will offer more of the same services such as counseling and needle exchange services. 

At Thursday’s workshop, Skoun representatives told participants that treating drug addition should be seen as benefiting entire communities.

“By helping an addict, we are not only helping them, we are also helping his family and society as a whole,” Chantal Chedid, prevention coordinator at Skoun said.  

One of the obstacles to the effective treatment of drug addicts is society’s perception of addiction, explained Nadya Mikdashi, director of Skoun.

“There is a lot of stigma involved with drug use in Lebanon, even for those working with addicts,” said Mikdashi. 

As part of its effort to change society’s understanding of drug addiction, Skoun has recently finished a similar workshop to raise awareness among religious leaders and has also been working closely with the judiciary and the Internal Security Forces. “We were surprised at how willing they were to listen to us, they are used to seeing many drug cases and I think they are in need of a new way to deal with them successfully,” said Mikdashi. 

With the number of Skoun’s admissions rising each year, Lebanon’s drug problem only seems to be getting worse. It is estimated there are 10,000 to 15,000 drug addicts in Lebanon, with between 72-75 percent of them addicted to heroin. 

“Skoun has a high success rate, but treatment and prevention isn’t enough, we also need lobbying and awareness,” Mikdashi said. 

Mikdashi reckons ignoring the problem or labeling any drug use as inherently bad will only compound the situation. “People are going to take drugs anyway, addicts are people too, it is our duty to reach them and help as many as we can.” 

“Rehabilitation is a process, it is important that our patients know we are here to help them,” said Mikdashi. “We do not only offer them medication, we also offer counseling and psychological help so our patients can overcome their addiction.”  

She warned that heroin use in Lebanon is rife among the youth. “Heroin addiction is across the board, not many people use heroin in colleges in England, however, heroin use is very widespread in Lebanese colleges,” Mikdashi said. 

She explained that the public’s response to drug addiction was in part fueling the problem.

Lebanon passed a law in 1998 that decriminalized drug addiction, however, very little has been done then to apply this law to drug cases. “Most addicts are still sent to prison” said Mikdashi. “The judiciary and civil society need more education as to the alternatives and the benefits of drug education and raised awareness.” 

“Stigma in Lebanon has been contributing to the biggest lack of action, we hope we can start making a difference by introducing new ways of understanding and raising awareness,” Mikdashi said.