Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 7
By Temkin Jafarov - Trend:
Methamphetamine, or meth, is the second widely used drug of abuse in Iran after opium, the IRNA news agency quoted Saeed Ghasemian, a representative of Iran's Drug Control Headquarters as saying Jan. 7.
Methamphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant, used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as obesity. It is known to have high potential for abuse and addiction, and considered a drug of abuse.
Ghasemian said that in 2007, some 3.6 percent of drug users in Iran were abusing the methamphetamine, but in 2011 this figure rose to 26.2 percent.
"Recent studies show that the methamphetamine is the second widely used drug of abuse in the country (26.2 percent) after the opium (52.2 percent)," he said.
Ghasemian went on to add that last year (the year starts in Iran on March 21) the drug abuse killed 2,950 people.
He also noted that some 69 percent of those infected with AIDS in Iran contracted the disease while injecting the drugs of abuse.
Ghasemian added that the sales of opium and heroin throughout the world currently bring revenue of about $68 billion, while the revenues from the sales of heroin in Iran stands at over $3 billion.
"In the first nine months of this year, some 66 metric tons of various types of drugs were confiscated," he said. "Most of the drugs users are young people."
The drug control authority's representative also said that currently, almost half of the persons held in Iran's prisons (45 percent), were arrested in connection with drugs.
The stats from the Drug Control Headquarters show that there are currently 1.35 million drug users in Iran, some 9.6 percent, or 130,000 people are women.
According to the stats, some 75 percent of drug users have secondary education, and 21 percent - have higher education. The prevailing majority of the drug addicts are aged between 15 and 64.
Edited by SI
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