Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and Substance Abuse
The fund's director, Dr. Amr Othman, received a report on the activities of the fund's addiction treatment hotline (16023), which provided treatment services to 69,845 patients, including both new and follow-up cases, between January and May 2026.
The report showed that synthetic drugs — including Strox, Voodoo, powder drugs, and El-Chapo — ranked second among substances cited by callers seeking treatment, followed by tramadol, heroin, and cases involving multiple drug use.
Treatment and rehabilitation services were also provided to residents of Egypt's redeveloped housing projects, including Al-Asmarat, Al-Mahrousa, Rawdat Al-Sudan, Rawdat Al-Sayeda, Ahalina, Al-Khayala, Bashayer Al-Kheir, and Hadayek October.
Services included counselling, treatment, rehabilitation, social reintegration, and follow-up support.
According to the report, treatment services are offered free of charge and in line with international standards through the fund's network of 35 treatment centres operating across 20 governorates.
Men accounted for 97 percent of beneficiaries, while women represented 3 percent.
Cairo recorded the highest share of hotline calls at 26 percent, followed by Giza at 21 percent, a trend attributed to the high population density of both governorates and the concentration of treatment centres there.
The internet was the leading source through which callers learned about the hotline, reflecting the impact of the fund's online awareness campaigns, particularly through its Facebook page, which has nearly two million followers.
Television and news websites ranked among the other key sources of awareness.
The report also found that patients themselves accounted for 35 percent of hotline calls, followed by siblings at 25 percent and mothers at 12 percent, indicating growing public confidence in the hotline's services.
Othman said that peer pressure and curiosity remained the leading factors driving substance abuse, according to hotline data.
Meanwhile, the most common motivations for seeking treatment were health deterioration, cited by 35 percent of patients, followed by a desire to improve one's image, plan for the future, protect family members and children, address workplace problems, and avoid dismissal or legal consequences.
He added that the hotline continues to receive calls from employees who use narcotics, stressing that individuals who voluntarily seek treatment before workplace drug-testing campaigns are conducted are treated as patients and can access confidential treatment services free of charge without legal repercussions.
Legal measures, however, apply if drug use is detected through official workplace screening procedures.
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