AL-SAHWA: Sanaa weekly, [Archives:1998/31/Press Review]

30-7-98. [Yemeni Congregation for Reform (Islah)]
Main Headline:
1- Great relief is expressed at the outcome of the Saudi Foreign Minister’s visit to Yemen.
2- Head of the Islah Economic Department: “Relying on local credit to cover budgetary deficit has raised inflation and devalued the national currency.
3- A Port Authority meeting discusses abolishing the monopoly of some of the ports’ services and activities.
4- Employees of the Sam Navigation Co. threaten to go on strike in protest over not receiving their wages for last few months. They used to be in a state-owned company.
Article Summary:
Drug Addiction
Sadeq A. Al-Amery
Addiction to the sedative medicine “Diazepam” is becoming quite widespread in Ibb. This drug is prescribed to relief anxiety, tension, epilepsy and as a child anesthetic during surgery. Young people got introduced to this drug through pharmaceutical sales agents, who are usually quite young themselves.
In the absence of a regulatory law, Diazepam is obtained by falsified prescriptions or through drug-pushers at higher prices. The majority of the addicts are aged between 18 and 25. Increasing demand has led to the absence of this drug from many pharmacies and it being peddled by drug-pushers.
According to the Yemeni penal law, punishment for trafficking in, or selling, drug ranges from a 15-month imprisonment to death. But reality is a different matter altogether. The law is seldom inforced.

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