Drug trafficking; a regional menace

Reports of repeated seizures of narcotics by the border guards often go unnoticed although their frequency is on the rise.

There is hardly a week that passes by without hearing reports about a new wave of confiscation of such dangerous products crossing our borders. Other neighbouring countries are experiencing the same or worse cases of narcotics smuggling. The problem has become a regional crisis, yet it goes on nearly unnoticed.

True, the press reports a illegal crossing of drugs, but that is about all. The reason, or rather the reasons, for the rise of this phenomenon is complex but it has a lot to do with the war conditions in many parts of the region, lack of security, absence of stability, an increase in poverty and unemployment, and the absence of a secure and healthy lifestyles for big numbers of the populations of the region.

To be sure, there is a growing demand for these illegal substances due to the absence of a sense of normalcy in the area. This crisis cannot go on with minimum attention being paid to it. Countries of the region must get together in an urgent meeting to address this growing menace to people's health and well-being. This is not to mention the high toll they take on national economies.

In other words, it is no longer just a Jordanian or Syrian or Iraqi problem, but a regional problem since narcotics and contrabands do not recognise boundaries. This crisis requires a more regional attention with a view to combat it. Otherwise, the problem can only get worse.