500 Tons of Drugs Consumed Annually in Iran

The Deputy Secretary-General of Iran's Drug Control Headquarters states that 500 tons of various traditional and synthetic drugs are consumed annually in the country. This level of drug consumption occurs while Alireza Jazini also reported the annual seizure of '85% of the world's opium and 35% of the world's heroin' in Iran. Iran is also a key transit route for drugs to other countries, being adjacent to Afghanistan, the largest center for drug cultivation and production in the world. According to statistics from the Afghan Ministry of Counter-Narcotics published on its official website, 6,400 tons of drugs were produced in Afghanistan last year, marking a 17% increase from the previous year. As reported by the IRNA news agency, Jazini stated on Wednesday, January 7, during a meeting of the Drug Control Council in Ilam province, that research indicates the damage caused by drug production and consumption in Iran amounts to 10 trillion tomans, with 47% of this damage affecting consumers, 24% the government, and 29% society. He noted that 65% of domestic violence, 55% of divorces, 25% of child abuse, and 20% of financial crimes are linked to drug consumption. Jazini also expressed concern over the decreasing age of drug use in Iran, which has now reached 15 years, stating that 1% of the country's students are drug users, with 60% of them consuming methamphetamine. The Deputy Secretary-General also mentioned that 6.2% of students in the Ministry of Science and 6.1% of students in medical universities are drug users. He noted that in 2009, only 3% of addicts used methamphetamine, but this figure has now alarmingly risen to 26%. He reported that the number of identified addicts in the country is 1.325 million and emphasized that the shift in drug use from traditional to synthetic is very concerning and catastrophic. This official also stated that 20% of individuals working in industrial environments are addicted to various drugs, indicating a need for serious preventive and therapeutic interventions in these centers. Previously, Iranian officials had reported varying statistics on the number of addicts in the country. For instance, the Arman newspaper in March 2013 quoted Saeed Safatian, the former director of 'treatment' in the Drug Control Headquarters, reporting the actual number of addicts in Iran as '3.6 million'. Additionally, the Fars news agency reported in June of this year, citing Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, that 'currently, based on official statistics, there are 1.3 million addicts, while unofficial figures exceed 3 million.' The Deputy Secretary-General of the Drug Control Headquarters mentioned that the raw materials for synthetic drugs are imported from abroad but are produced in underground kitchens for distribution to consumers. He reported the discovery of 200 methamphetamine production workshops since the beginning of this year and emphasized that 1,800 kilograms of various synthetic drugs have also been seized during this period. He also discussed the government's efforts to mitigate the consequences of drugs, including the existence of 6,000 addiction treatment centers, and noted that the use of shared syringes was one of the main reasons for the spread of hepatitis and AIDS among addicts, which has fortunately decreased from 67% to 45% due to preventive programs.