Down on the MPs debate Kuwait hosts dairy farm blackout as the 4th edition probe ordered of Concours 4 9 d’Elegance23 Min 11º Max 23º FREE www.kuwaittimes.net NO: 16432- Friday, February 13, 2015 From dark to dust See Page 7 Local FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015 Local Spotlight Want to lure women? Obesity drugs and online advertising in Kuwait ‘Ask’ for love potion By Muna Al-Fuzai Illegal aphrodisiac drink locally available By Sunil Cherian Kuwait, the business thrives,” said a Jahra resident. “I’ve known this for a while but trust me, I haven’t consumed any such n the old souk of Jahra, the women sitting behind stalls sell- drink,” she said. [email protected] ing herbal and natural beauty products chatter all the time, The “love potion”, said another lady familiar with the trade, Imaking you wonder about the source behind their energy. is made up mainly of dried jasmine flowers and rose petals, You pass by these beauty vendors in veils and they don’t vanilla extract, cinnamon sticks and other secret ingredients. It ast year several social media companies includ- attract your attention by calling out the benefits of their cos- is advised by the vendors to sip the drink adding a lot of cold ing Facebook and Instgram took the decision to metics and face creams like other salespersons elsewhere. water to have an attractive aura around you - so that your Ldelete all posts from users selling illegal Even if you ask them for a small bottle of love potion, they spouse will never leave you. If you want a person to be attract- weapons, drugs, tobacco products and prescription deny any knowledge of it. But if you convince them that you ed to you, you will have to make him/her drink the potion mediciations. The companies noted that these items are a potential customer of the ‘amorous drink’, they change either secretly pouring it in his/her tea or even water, the violated their terms of use and also warned that they their tone, comfort you and even laugh with you as you bar- source said. gain with them. And you come away with a bottle - the size “This is ridiculous,” said a counselor, who did not want to would remove advertising that is false and deceptive depending on your desperation - of love potion, a ‘medicinal’ be named. “These sorts of things appear in the black market or violates its policies. drink that has found its way to Kuwait’s market illegally, claim- whenever there is emotional poverty in the society, where It is a responsible step, especially for the protection ing that it can cure your love problems. feelings are suppressed. It’s not the men or women who lure of children and adolescents who may be involved in The alleged aphrodisiac that is available in the Jahra souk each other but a consumer product is luring both men and problems due to ignorance and lack of knowledge costs from KD 50 to KD 500. Many cosmetics shops across the women who are ignorant,” the counselor said. about the laws. Criminals will exploit any opportunity country sell a tube cream named love potion for KD 4. But the Another source discussing the potion said that it can be to ply their trade and hook young, unsuspecting potion available in Jahra is a drink sold secretly to people who found among some Indian ladies’ groups in Kuwait, especially would-be buyers. But despite their best efforts, pre- want to attract members of the opposite sex or spouses who at local churches. No one wanted to go on the record dis- do not want to lose their partners. “It’s like a spell on some- cussing the issue, however, as the potion is not licensed and vent can’t be effective all the time, all around the body - one is infatuated, and though it’s strictly prohibited in few women would admit to taking it. world. Local authorities must follow-up and monitor such activity in order to prevent illicit trade happening in their own countries. Glimpse of Kuwait’s work visa process In Kuwait, I am more concerned with what seems to be a growing popularity of the sale of illicit drugs and By Aakash Bakaya work visa medicals and it is located next to Al-Sabah Hospital, prescription medications online. There seems to be but not directly attached to it. The building is called ‘Ports and more and more ads for drugs that fight obesity, a seri- f you have family members or friends wanting to work in Borders Health Division Expatriates Investigation Center’, and ous health problem in Kuwait. Indeed the large num- Kuwait and were wondering what the procedure for complet- once you enter through the gate, take a right towards the bigger ber of these advertising campaigns on private TV Iing the work visa process would be like, then look no further. building and not towards the actual clinic. There you will be channels and the Internet is really worrying. These ads Having just completed my visa process this week, I can tell you greeted by an even bigger crowd, but a crowd which thins out at never mention the harmful side effects or the poten- that once you get the bulk of the work done in your own coun- a much faster pace. Be sure to carry KD 10 on you as you will tial dangers of such drugs. Many of them should not try, the procedure in Kuwait is quite straightforward if you have need to buy a revenue stamp for the test. There will be around a be taken unless under the specific guidance and the patience and the time. dozen different-looking stamp machines at the entrance, but don’t get confused as I did. All the machines give out the same observation of a doctor. These types of ads should be First Things First required stamp, so deposit your cash in any of them. restricted and monitored by the government. If you are entering Kuwait on a work or commercial visa, you From there, staple your photos to your medical slip (which More importantly, there needs to be serious efforts must have already got your police and medical clearance done. the company provides) and go up to the reception desk to get by schools, society and parents to tackle the growing Take these papers to your company’s human resource manager your token number. The number you receive might be a long problem of obesity among school students. The or any other staff responsible for employee recruitment. They way ahead but you shouldn’t have to wait for more than 30-45 results of an Education Ministry study on the issue was will get all the necessary papers, but do try to ask them if they minutes as the process is much quicker here. Once your number really frightening. It found that 44% of students can get the permission slip that does not require you to take the arrives, wait in line for your blood test. A small point to note is between the intermediate and secondary stages and company’s ‘mandoub’ (representative) along with you. Now this that there are two different lines for Indian Subcontinent expatri- might not be possible with everyone, but getting this slip helps ates and Egyptian expatriates, so be sure you are in the correct 15% of primary school students suffer from being you get the work done on your own time. Before you venture one. Again, once this is done, don’t worry about getting any new overweight to the point of obesity. Overall, Kuwait’s out, make sure you have the following items - your passport, papers - everything is done on the computer and your data is obesity rate is around 70%!!! That is shocking and your original work visa, copies of your medical and police clear- again automatically updated. should be a wakeup call to us all. ances and 4 passport-size photos with a blue background. The causes are clear: poor diet including too much There are only three places you have to go to complete your The Home Stretch soft drinks, junk food as well as little to no physical work process. The first is the fingerprint office of your gover- You’ve got your medical slip signed and now you’re only one activity and movement. The MoE study suggested that norate. There are two such offices in Kuwait - one is in Sharq on step away from completion. You won’t need any of your papers Khaled Ibn Al Waleed Street amidst the toy shops - go here if you for the next step - only your signed medical slip. The TB x-ray the government needs to develop a strategy to com- live anywhere expect Jahra, Ahmadi or Farwaniya. For those gov- ward is a few minutes’ drive from the clinic and you’ll find it bat obesity in schools in Kuwait. But as usual, nothing ernorates, the fingerprint office is located on Al-Ghazali Street in across Al-Sabah Hospital’s Maternity Hospital (the only stand- has happened since then. Meanwhile more kids grow Farwaniya. Finding the offices is never a worry as every taxi driv- alone maternity ward in Kuwait surprisingly). Once at the TB con- bigger and bigger. Some of them may wish to lose er in Kuwait has to go through the same procedures. trol unit, things get a little unsystematic again. You wait in line at weight and end up thinking that buying obesity drugs The office opens at 6am and I highly recommend you go as the entrance and get a sticker on your medical slip.