Prime Minister Hisham Qandil launched on Monday 18/2/2013 the national plan for combating addiction meant to fight this serious phenomenon and lower addiction rates.

The plan is prepared by the National Council for Fighting and Treating Addiction and the National Fund of Fighting and Treating Addiction.

Qandil, at a ceremony on this occasion, said the plan is prompted by the government's keenness to protect Egyptian youth against drug addiction.

Cabinet spokesman Alaa al-Hadidi said the plan aims at activating social media's role in tackling this serious problem, promoting awareness among school students of hazards of addiction and tobacco smoking, introducing necessary amendments to anti-drug laws and developing addiction treatment centers which are affiliated with the Health Ministry.

The ceremony was attended by ministers of insurance and social affairs, manpower, sports, youths and interior and representatives of the ministries of culture, justice, defense, information, education and local development and officials from the National Fund for Fighting and Treating Addiction.