British government announces 'largest ever increase' in funding for drug treatment
December 7, 2021, 7:50 am

British government announces 'largest ever increase' in funding for drug treatment

Drug addiction/Pixabay

The Xinhua reported, the British government on Monday unveiled its 10-year drug strategy, with the "largest ever increase" in funding for drug treatment.

According to a government press release, the strategy is backed by a new investment of almost 780 million pounds (about 1.03 billion U.S. dollars) for treatment -- "the largest ever increase, bringing total spending on drug enforcement and treatment to more than 3 billion pounds over the next three years."

England-London-Westminster-Westminster bridge/Pixabay

The Xinhua mentioned that the strategy has a heavy focus on targeting users and suppliers. It sets out an investment of 300 million pounds to crack down on supply chains and criminal gangs profiting from the trade in illegal drugs.

It seeks to deter people from drug use through a range of potential civil penalties which could include fines, curfews, or in the most exceptional cases, the temporary removal of driving licenses or passports.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said in the press release: "This is a huge moment which will save lives. We're investing a record amount into treatment services with money to break the cycle of drug use and to support communities by cutting the drug use which drives crime."

Source: xinhua

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”