Examining Iran’s Narcotic Addiction Crisis and Data Fabrication

iran drug addicts narcotics
Three minutes read
Written by
Mansoureh Galestan

The spread of addiction in Iran under the rule of the clerics has become an alarming and pervasive issue, with significant implications for the country. The government’s reluctance to provide accurate statistics has led to a lack of transparency regarding the true extent of the problem. Unofficial reports and statistics have shed light on the concerning dimensions of this phenomenon, revealing a disturbing reality.

A recent report by the Etemad newspaper delved into the addiction phenomenon in Iran, offering a detailed examination of various aspects, including the prices and consumption of different drugs across the country. The report highlighted a significant decrease in opium consumption, coupled with a sharp rise in the use of heroin, crystal methamphetamine, and other substances. The escalating consumption of these drugs has been attributed to factors such as the high cost of opium and the addition of impurities to heroin, compelling individuals to increase their daily intake.

The report also underscored the direct correlation between drug prices and the country’s exchange rates and inflation. Additionally, it revealed that Iran is not only a significant consumer but also a producer of the most dangerous drug, chemical.

However, the report’s credibility was called into question due to a significant discrepancy in the reported number of addicts in Iran. The government’s manipulation of addiction statistics over the years has created a cloud of uncertainty around the true scale of the problem. Various officials have provided conflicting figures, with some alleging a deliberate suppression of accurate data.

The gravity of the situation is underscored by Iran’s status as one of the countries with the highest rate of opiate abuse globally. The prevalence of drug use has continued to rise, with official estimates suggesting that about 2 million people use illicit drugs daily in Iran, constituting approximately 2.7% of the population.

 

Moreover, the use of sleeping pills has become alarmingly prevalent nationwide. According to recent reports, a staggering 1000 tons of various drugs are consumed annually in Iran, with the production of the most dangerous drug, called chemical, occurring within the country’s borders.

However, the narrative begins with a significant falsehood perpetuated by the Iranian regime in recent years. They claim that the number of addicts in Iran stands at 2.8 million.

The manipulation of addiction statistics in Iran has a troubling history. Ali Hashemi, former Chairman of the Independent Committee to Combat Drug Addiction of the Expediency Discernment Council, previously stated that the number of addicts in Iran was 3.76 million until 2006. However, during Mohammad Khatami’s presidency (1997 to 2005), this figure was said to be reduced to 750,000 to 800,000 addicts in a population of 70 million. In 2011, addiction statistics reported 1.33 million addicts among a population of 75 million, and during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s presidency (2005-2013), the figure was reportedly as high as 1.35 million.

Despite Hashemi’s revelations, the regime consistently reported the number of addicts as 1.33 million from 2011 to 2017. In 2017, Parviz Afshar, former spokesperson of the Counter-narcotics Headquarters, announced 2.808 million addicts in the country. Since then, this figure has remained unchanged, indicating a lack of accurate and detailed addiction statistics in Iran.

The issue of recreational drug consumption and the age of addiction also warrant attention. Mohsen Roshanpajouh, former deputy of the Prevention and Treatment Center of the Welfare Organization, highlighted that addiction statistics provided by the Counter-narcotics HQ only accounted for continuous drug consumption and excluded recreational consumption. Nasser Aslani, former deputy for Dealing with Supply and International Affairs of the Counter-narcotics HQ, announced 4.5 million addicts in 2019, including 2.808 million continuous addicts and 1.6 million recreational drug consumers.

 

On June 21, 2022, the state-run IMNA News Agency quoted the former director-general of the Research and Education Office of the Counter-narcotics HQ as stating that there are four million and 400,000 individuals in the country who are continuous and intermittent drug consumers. Considering their household sizes, approximately 15 million people in the country deal with daily concerns and worries regarding drug addiction.

Furthermore, the statistics do not include individuals under 15 years old who are addicted, despite official announcements indicating that the age of addiction has reached 11 to 15 years old.

In terms of drug use prevalence, Iran ranks highest globally under the rule of the Mullahs, with an annual 31.3% drug use rate according to the United Nations report.

The staggering financial circulation of drug sales in Iran, amounting to 167 trillion tomans compared to the country’s budget of 408 trillion tomans, higlights the magnitude of the issue.

Considering the trickery of recreational consumption, the inclusion of individuals under 15, and growth rates declared by the United Nations, the dimensions of the disaster become apparent.

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