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FAO: Bong: Drug Use in Iran
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
of interest
Despite these efforts, however, the drug problem in Iran has worsened. Officially, Iran has some 2 million drug addicts. But some experts say the real number of addicts is as high as 5 million to 6 million -- and increasing.
Drug addiction is the source of many of Iran's social problems, such as domestic violence and prostitution. Drug addiction is also the main cause for the fast spread of HIV/AIDS in Iran. Seventy percent of Iranians infected with the deadly virus are intravenous drug users. There are currently about 300,000 intravenous drug users in the country.
The major consumers of opium and heroin in Iran are young people. The use of chemical drugs, such as ecstasy, is also spreading among youth. Drug use among young people is a major preoccupation for Iranian officials, since 70 percent of Iran's population is 35 or younger.
Experts say an unemployment rate of about 20 percent, combined with a lack of social freedoms, are among the main causes for drug use among Iran's young population.
Twenty-year-old Amir from Tehran says that for many of his friends, using drugs is a way to escape. "We don't have entertainment here, and drugs are very cheap and easy to get," he said. "Whatever you get from the supermarket, for the same price you can buy drugs in your neighborhood. Because of this lack of entertainment, whenever young people get together, the only thing they think about is getting and using drugs because it makes them happy. And also because of the problems they have, they want to get rid of these problems for some time. They have no hope in the future. They think there is no future for them in Iran."
While possession of any drugs is forbidden in Iran, casual drug use is often tolerated and penalties for possession are not strictly specified. In most cases, first-time offenders are let go with a warning and a flogging. Those arrested numerous times for drug-related offenses can be sentenced to prison at the discretion of individual judges.
read the full article here
Eurasian News article on Iranian Drug Culture
more research to follow...
Despite these efforts, however, the drug problem in Iran has worsened. Officially, Iran has some 2 million drug addicts. But some experts say the real number of addicts is as high as 5 million to 6 million -- and increasing.
Drug addiction is the source of many of Iran's social problems, such as domestic violence and prostitution. Drug addiction is also the main cause for the fast spread of HIV/AIDS in Iran. Seventy percent of Iranians infected with the deadly virus are intravenous drug users. There are currently about 300,000 intravenous drug users in the country.
The major consumers of opium and heroin in Iran are young people. The use of chemical drugs, such as ecstasy, is also spreading among youth. Drug use among young people is a major preoccupation for Iranian officials, since 70 percent of Iran's population is 35 or younger.
Experts say an unemployment rate of about 20 percent, combined with a lack of social freedoms, are among the main causes for drug use among Iran's young population.
Twenty-year-old Amir from Tehran says that for many of his friends, using drugs is a way to escape. "We don't have entertainment here, and drugs are very cheap and easy to get," he said. "Whatever you get from the supermarket, for the same price you can buy drugs in your neighborhood. Because of this lack of entertainment, whenever young people get together, the only thing they think about is getting and using drugs because it makes them happy. And also because of the problems they have, they want to get rid of these problems for some time. They have no hope in the future. They think there is no future for them in Iran."
While possession of any drugs is forbidden in Iran, casual drug use is often tolerated and penalties for possession are not strictly specified. In most cases, first-time offenders are let go with a warning and a flogging. Those arrested numerous times for drug-related offenses can be sentenced to prison at the discretion of individual judges.
read the full article here
Eurasian News article on Iranian Drug Culture
more research to follow...
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Comments
eating food keeps you alive, but you need to feel hungry to make you eat, and by this you are satisfying an immediate need that has benefits long term...
drug use highjacks this by only fullfilling one end of this bargain..
thats the biological view anyway...
Things we enjoy release dopamine, sex, food etc. Cocaine releases a LOT of dopamine, so everything else is moved down a notch, food and sex are less interesting compared to cocaine.
when things have been going very well and not so well.
i wish people would get away from this economic rubbish about drug use.
wealthy people are the ones who arrange most of the smuggling ...wealthy people consume most of those drugs ...the only reason the poorer end of any society are at the front of the reporting on such matters is because it i fucking seriously difficult to consume these ilegal pleasures without resorting to crime.
The drugs are grown in the middle eastern area and around,what else do you expect.
Of course Rolly, but those at the bottom of the heap are the most vunerable, those most likely to have no support network, no one to help them if they get into trouble. And because of this they are the ones more likely to develop dangerous usage patterns and addictions.
wich all helps to create the image that druggies are nothing but poverty stricken thieving scumbags!
drugs will make you poor and stupid and criminal ...thats the message.
Yes, and to some extent its right, but its a result of the law and the underlying poverty, not really the drugs.