Social Crisis in Iran; A Welfare Official Reports Surge in 'Hashish and Crystal' Consumption

After the Deputy for Prevention of the Drug Control Headquarters reported a prevalence of addiction in 2.1% of the student population this summer, the Deputy for Prevention and Treatment of Addiction at the Welfare Organization has now stated that 'hashish and crystal' are the leading causes of calls to the 'National Addiction Hotline.' This official from the Welfare Organization told ILNA news agency that 74% of those who contact the 'National Addiction Hotline' are women, and in most cases, they inquire about the symptoms of 'hashish and crystal.' Farhad Aghatar emphasized that in the first six months of the year, the most questions from calls to the 'National Addiction Hotline' were about 'hashish and crystal.' The increase in women's calls to this center and the prevalence of 'hashish and crystal' becomes more significant when we refer to the statements made by the Deputy for Social Affairs of the Welfare Organization on July 31. Mehri Sadat Mousavi stated in a television program that the age of addiction has decreased to 10 years and that 'addiction has become feminine.' Mousavi attributed the change in consumption patterns to the low price of drugs and industrialization, stating, 'Families think their child is in their room and in a safe space, but they are consuming industrial drugs.' She also mentioned the prevalence of drugs in schools and said that 'the education system is closed' and does not allow cooperation. The ISKANews agency, affiliated with Azad University, reported in August this year on the prevalence of 'hashish' consumption among teenagers, stating that today, 'hashish is almost the most consumed drug among young people,' to the extent that it is even passed around in schools among students. This news agency emphasized that 'although drug consumption among teenagers is very high, the Welfare Organization does not allow the hospitalization of addicts under 18 in addiction camps.' In April of this year, the 'Kadrass Institute,' which operates as an international drug research center, announced that the consumption of hashish ranks third in the country after opium and crystal. According to World Health Organization statistics, the mortality rate from drug use in Iran is the highest in the region and exceeds that of Afghanistan, the world's largest producer of drugs. Experts say that the lack of social freedoms, political pressures, lack of recreational facilities, economic problems, and a lack of future prospects are among the factors driving people towards drug use and increasing addiction. The decrease in the age of addiction in Iran has led children to turn to drugs and alcohol from the age of 10.