Yemeni females make up just three percent of Yemeni drinking and drug addicts out of a total of 29 percent, according to a recent study conducted by Our Highborn Values for Research.    The study said women and youths inclination to drink and do drugs may trigger physical, psychological and mental disorders for addicts. According to the study, the increasing intake poses tremendous threats to the normal operation of the body; namely, the eyes, skin, teeth and respiratory system. The study warned of further health dangers such as ulcers, blood, palate and stomach cancer, as well as heart and blood diseases.

The study also said some addicts commit crimes and create social instability; hostile encounters occur as a result of taking drugs. It said security forces ought to step up enforcement on smugglers and drug traffickers due to the increasing spread and intake of drugs. Drug addicts are a burden on the community because the addiction costs money and hurts the community psyche, the study said. Addictions create economic losses because addicts become unable to work; and their families become broke. Furthermore, society has no trust in addicts. It explained that addicts’ concentration abilities decrease and they become moody; they deal poorly with people. Most of their families end up sending them to prison.

In the same context, Abdullah Sa’atar, a cleric and head of the Social Authority in the Islamic Islah party, said Yemeni women have been exposed to a network of crimes and drugs. He accused international organizations of spending thousands of dollars so as to defame the women and cast them as perverts.

Al-Sahwa website quoted Sa’atar, while urging parents in the country to push their sons and daughters to go to religious educational institutions to help graduate a generation memorizing the Holy Quran. He refuted the allegation that religious educational centers foster terrorist attacks, saying political education is the reason behind the suicide bombings that target security figures.