As part of a series of awareness seminars organized by the Education and Student Sector at Ain Shams University, the Faculty of Science hosted an awareness seminar titled "The Social Dimensions of Drug Abuse, Its Types, and Its Impact on Society." The seminar was held under the patronage of Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of Ain Shams University, and coordinated by Prof. Mohamed Ragaa El-Satouhi, Dean of the Faculty of Science.

The seminar was organized by the General Administration for Youth Welfare Office- Student Unions and Families Department and the Faculty of Science Student Union, under the supervision of Mr. Ibrahim Saeed Hamza, Assistant Secretary of the University for the Education and Student Sector, and in cooperation with the Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and Drug Abuse, headed by the Cabinet.

Prof. Iman Abdel-Azim, Vice Dean for Education and Student Affairs at the Faculty of Science, began the symposium by emphasizing the importance of national efforts to combat addiction, praising the role of the state and the Addiction Control and Treatment Fund in raising awareness among university students.

She emphasized that youth are the foundation of the future. They are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also the parents and guardians of future generations. This makes educating them an urgent necessity to protect them from the dangers of addiction and enable them to actively participate in building a more aware and healthy society.

Prof. Amal Morsi, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Science for Community Service and Environmental Development, emphasized the university's commitment to instilling a culture of health awareness among students, emphasizing the importance of adopting healthy lifestyles that contribute to building a strong and cohesive society.

She pointed out that awareness seminars play a pivotal role in supporting the state's efforts to combat addiction and enhance community awareness. She emphasized that combating this phenomenon is a shared responsibility that requires the cooperation of all parties, from the family to educational institutions and society as a whole, to ensure a safer and more stable future for future generations.

Dr. Rasha Mohamed Rashad, a researcher at the Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and Drug Abuse, chaired by the Cabinet, reviewed the importance of reducing demand for drugs as a commodity. She pointed to the implementation of preventive programs targeting university and school students, along with training courses aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of drugs and their health and behavioral harms.

She highlighted the importance of the media and how to overcome inappropriate films and TV series that promote drugs.

She addressed the social dimensions of the phenomenon, how to counter peer pressure, and false rumors about drug use and addiction. She also addressed the role of the family and family relationships in combating the phenomenon and how to detect addicts within the family early.

She also emphasized the importance of psychological rehabilitation during the treatment journey, explaining that the Anti-Addiction Fund provides free, confidential, 24-hour counseling and treatment services via the hotline 16023.

Dr. Mohamed Mustafa Mohamed, a forensic toxicology and drug expert, advisor to the Anti-Addiction Fund under the Cabinet, and a member of the Supreme Council of the National Observatory for Addiction, pointed to the recent increase in the number of addicts, including a growing number of women.

He explained that drugs weaken the addict's willpower, driving them to seek drugs without regard for their daily needs. This is in addition to their negative impact on their health and their devastating impact on their family and social environment.

He emphasized that drugs have become the primary factor behind most crimes and accidents in recent times, noting their extreme danger to individuals and society.

He explained that the increased supply of drugs in recent years poses a major challenge to drug control efforts, necessitating increased community awareness of their dangers. He emphasized that reducing demand for drugs begins with an individual's own convictions, as self-awareness and a true understanding of the dangers of addiction are the cornerstone of combating drug abuse.

He provided a detailed explanation of the types of drugs and their negative effects on physical and mental health, as well as the misconceptions associated with drug abuse, including the belief that they are a means of escaping problems or enhancing the ability to concentrate and perform.

He also addressed the most important behavioral indicators that may reveal drug abuse, explaining that parents and friends can spot these signs and intervene early to protect their children.

The seminar included a screening of the drama film "4x6," which aims to educate students about the dangers of addiction in a realistic and impactful manner.