Drug abuse becoming a problem, says UN

The International Day Against Drugs and Illicit Trafficking was marked in the capital, Kabul, on Thursday with a warning from the United Nations. "Unfortunately, drug abuse is becoming a problem in different areas of Afghanistan," David Macdonald, a senior adviser in the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), told IRIN on Thursday. "We need to have drug abuse prevention campaigns in all over Afghanistan to help vulnerable groups to turn away from drug abuse and solve their problems," he added. According to UNODC, those most at risk are refugees, ex-combatants, women, youth, the unemployed and residents of poppy-production areas. "Returning refugees are obviously problematic as they are coming from countries like Pakistan, Iran and Tajikistan, which have substantial drug-abuse problems," Macdonald said. The Afghan government's Counter Narcotics Directorate (CND) agreed that drug abuse was a serious problem. "Not only in Kabul but even in many areas where there is no poppy production, drugs are being used increasingly," Dr Mohammad Zafar, the head of drug demand reduction for CND, told IRIN. Zafar said marijuana was the drug of choice, whereas opium was also widely used throughout Afghanistan. "While there has not been a country-wide survey, some estimates indicate there are around 6,000 drug addicts only in Kabul," Zafar said. A Kabul-based agency for drug demand reduction and drug addicts rehabilitation known by the acronym NEJAT told IRIN that the ready availability of drugs in an environment of human deprivation and suffering had resulted in an escalation of drug abuse among vulnerable groups. "Due to the tragedies and suffering borne by the people, many have become exposed to mental health and psychological problems, including anxiety, depression and other related disorders," Dr Mohammad Aqah Stanekzai, a programme manager for NEJAT, told IRIN. NEJAT has the drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, but it has only 10 beds. "There are very few treatment services for drug addicts in the capital," Stanekzai said, adding that tens of drug addicts were being referred to them every week, but turned away due to inadequate facilities.