Paper Title: Do Not Give Up: Gamified Approach to Create Awareness on Drug Abuse Among Youths

Author's name: Alaa Sadeq Nayef Saleh, Hamsah Amer Mohd Sabri Shehadeh, Amala Nirmal Doss

The rising incidence of drug abuse among adolescents in Oman, particularly involving cannabis and opium, calls for innovative prevention strategies. This paper presents "Do Not Give Up," a culturally tailored, web-based educational platform integrated with an interactive game aimed at raising awareness about drug misuse, its consequences, and available rehabilitation resources. The platform offers comprehensive information on drugs, legal implications, and treatment centers, while enabling users to track recovery progress and communicate with healthcare professionals. Designed using the Agile methodology, the project emphasizes user engagement, accessibility, and relevance to Omani society. Preliminary results suggest the platform’s effectiveness in educating youth and supporting addiction recovery, with potential for future expansion into mobile applications.

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