The events of the “No to Drugs” Week are launched under the auspices of Prof. Ahmed Al-Menshawi, President of Assuit University and it was organized by the Faculty of Education from the 30^th of July to the 3^rd of this upcoming August and in the presence of Prof. Ahmed Abd El-Moula, University Vice-President for Education and Student Affairs; Prof. Mahmoud Abdel Alim, University Vice-President for Community Service and Environmental Development; Prof. Hassan Huweil, Faculty Dean; Prof. Mohamed Gaber Qassem, Faculty Vice-Dean for Education and Student Affairs; Prof. Mohamed Moustafa Hamad, Faculty Vice-Dean for Community Service and Environmental Development; and a group of faculty members, employees and students.

Prof. Ahmed Al-Menshawi, President of Assuit University, stressed the importance of raising students’ awareness of the dangers of drugs for the individual and society, the necessity of developing social, cultural and health awareness of their dangers and raising awareness of ways of drug abuse prevention. He added that the University is keen to offer support to its students so as to confront all the societal and psychological problems that they face within the framework of the University’s enlightening role.

The events of the week started with a symposium entitled “Drugs and their Negative Effects on the Individual and Society” in which Prof. Ahmed Abd El-Moula, University Vice-President for Education and Student Affairs delivered a lecture stressing that the events of the “No to Drugs” Week are held as part of Assuit University’s celebration of the 10^th anniversary of June 30 Revolution that lasts throughout this July. He talked about the definition of drugs and their serious effects on the psychological, physical and mental health of an individual and how they cause significant damages to the family and society. He also discussed the stages of drug abuse and addiction, the classification of drugs according to their source and purpose of use, the most common types, symptoms of addiction, the factors that lead teenagers and youths to take drugs and then get addicted to them, most notably family disintegration, absence of control, the corruption of the surrounding environment, bad company, absence of religious influence, and the careless use of medical drugs. He also addressed the most appropriate scientific methods to contain the negative effects of the spread of drugs. 

In his speech, Prof. Mahmoud Abdel Alim praised the purposeful activity of the Faculty of Education wishing the participants success in conveying the message of this activity to the youths. He also stressed that sustainable development is the slogan of the current stage of the new Republic which the youths must participate in achieving it; therefore, they all must give up trying drugs or getting addicted to them so that they may enjoy full awareness so as to learn, work and perform religious duties.

Prof. Mohamed Gaber Qassem pointed out that the week’s events include: awareness-raising campaigns, artistic, cultural, sport, social and scientific competitions, and an activity for University families and scouting teams within the framework of the university’s concern for holding many events in order to raise the youths’ awareness of the dangerousness of drugs for their health, life and society.