Hosseyn Tala, a member of the Social Commission of the Parliament, has reported the presence of 130,000 'addicted' students sitting at school desks. On Sunday, March 2, he spoke with Mehr News Agency about the decreasing age of addiction in Iran, stating that 'one percent of the total number of students in the country are addicted.' According to this parliament member, 130,000 of the students currently studying in Iranian schools are considered 'permanent consumers' of drugs. He mentioned that there are no statistics available regarding students who consume drugs recreationally, adding, 'otherwise, the number would be even higher.' Tala made this announcement while noting that officials from the Ministry of Education do not confirm these statistics. He urged the officials of this ministry to 'provide necessary information realistically, as increasing this number will diminish the public's absolute trust in schools.' These statements come at a time when a responsible official in the Ministry of Education stated in July that this ministry 'has long recognized the danger of addiction.' Mansour Kiai, the director of the Office for Protection Against Social Damages, had previously told ISNA that the reality is that 'most statistics are not accurate for summarizing addiction.' Kiai emphasized that 'we do not intend to conceal or deny the numbers, but for technical reasons, we do not accept the term addiction for this statistical community.' In November of this year, Shahindokht Molaverdi, the Iranian Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, announced that the 'average age of addiction' among girls is 13 years old. Last October, the newspaper Jomhouri Eslami reported that 'one percent of students have experienced using various drugs.' In recent years, several government officials and members of parliament have warned about the decreasing age of addiction in the country. Alireza Jazini, the deputy secretary-general of the Drug Control Headquarters, stated that '0.4 percent' of students in Iran consume crystal meth. Statistics regarding drug use among Iranian students vary, and the Ministry of Education also refrains from publishing its precise statistics in this regard. The shift in drug consumption patterns among students from opium and heroin to crystal meth and crack has increasingly worried educators and families.
A Member of Parliament: We Have 130,000 Addicted Students
Hosseyn Tala, a member of Iran's parliament, revealed that there are 130,000 addicted students in schools, highlighting a concerning trend of decreasing addiction age to 13. This issue raises alarms about public trust in educational institutions and the government's ability to address the growing drug problem among youth.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Hosseyn Tala reported that there are 130,000 addicted students in Iranian schools, highlighting a troubling trend of decreasing addiction age. This revelation raises concerns about public trust in educational institutions and the government's response to youth addiction.
- One percent of students in Iran are reported to be addicted to drugs.
- The average age of addiction among girls is reported to be as low as 13 years.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran has been grappling with drug addiction for decades, with recent trends showing a worrying decrease in the age of first-time users. The shift from traditional drugs to more potent substances like crystal meth poses new challenges for authorities.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%