The Ministry of Social Solidarity in Egypt announced that drug tests proved that 1.8% of workers in government agencies, institutions, bodies, and directorates of ministries are drug users.

The Minister of Social Solidarity, Nevin Al-Kabbaj, said, Saturday, that the results of the examination of 181 thousand and 763 employees in various ministries, institutions and directorates in the governorates, from March 2019 to February 2020, confirmed that 1.8% of them consume narcotic substances. The minister pointed out that the most prominent substances are “hashish, tramadol, and morphine,” pointing out that the employee who proves that he has used narcotic substances, “is suspended and referred to the administrative prosecution to take the necessary legal measures.” The minister emphasized the continuing intensification of campaigns to detect drug abuse among workers in the state’s administrative apparatus to include various government institutions.

In the same context, Assistant Minister of Solidarity, Director of the Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and Abuse, Amr Othman, said that 32,000 employees voluntarily applied for treatment through the fund’s hotline. He pointed out that they are considered patients, and their treatment is free of charge and in complete secrecy.

In March 2019, the Egyptian government implemented intensive anti-drug measures by conducting analyzes for all its official employees. At the same time, the House of Representatives Manpower Committee (Parliament) considers issuing a law providing for immediate dismissal from work for drug users.

Egyptian opponents say that the number of Egyptians who use drugs has increased dramatically due to the state of despair that the regime has brought them to, in addition to the fact that the police are cracking down on politicians and turning a blind eye to drug traffickers.