New communication methods, and online and TV commercials have contributed to the spread of illegal drugs, sexual stimulants and harmful medical products in the Saudi market. Buying banned drugs through the Internet, television programs, pharmacies, and via sales representatives has become a growing phenomenon in the Kingdom. Jeddah Health Affairs Management is trying its best to control this phenomenon, and in recent months, a large number of pharmacies dealing with illegal drugs and sexual stimulants have been ordered shut. Saudi Gazette spoke with officials and doctors to find out the reasons behind the increasing number of people seeking to buy drugs online, via sales representatives or over the counter in pharmacies. “The trend is mostly visible in women who want to lose weight, prevent hair loss, treat their skin, and generally look younger without consulting specialist physicians,” said Dr. Wafa'a Faqih, Associate Professor at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, and consultant for women's diseases in King Abdulaziz University Hospital. Another group of women, she said, are those who are suffering from pain in their knees, legs, and back and other joints. It also includes those who have painful monthly periods. “These women are basically lethargic and do not consult a doctor. They discuss their problems with friends, and receive advice from the Internet and via television programs and buy drugs over the counter,” she said. According to Dr. Faqih, most women buy analgesics from pharmacies without realizing that they can be very harmful. “To avoid this dangerous behavior, there is an urgent need to change society's point of view about health care. It is also vital that periodic health checkups are made compulsory in all regions of the Kingdom including remote rural areas,” she said. “Even primary school students should learn how to take care of their health. It is highly recommended that the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health launch special courses on personal hygiene and the dangers of fake drugs,” she said. Dr. Faqih also suggested that the Ministry of Health should adopt a health insurance system with the establishment of well-equipped medical centers in small villages. She said the number of government hospitals that are providing free treatment are insufficient to cover the overall population of the Kingdom. The second category of people seeking unapproved drugs are elderly men who looking for sexual stimulants without considering their side effects. “These drugs are available in most pharmacies where they are being sold without proper prescriptions. The ministry should be very strict with pharmacies selling drugs without prescriptions,” she added. Dr. Mahmoud Abduljawwad, Deputy Director of Jeddah Health Affairs Management's medical and pharmacies licenses department, said inspection tours of pharmacies in the city should be increased. “During the last few months, Jeddah Health Affairs Management shut down a number of pharmacies selling fake and unlicensed drugs. Only last week we shut down a pharmacy selling large quantities of sexual stimulants,” he said. It is not only the responsibility of Health Affairs Management, but people in general should cooperate by launching an awareness campaign against illegal drugs and inform the authorities when anything suspicious is noticed at pharmacies, Abduljawwad added.
