Feature: Drug addiction kills in Afghanistan
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Xinhua, September 17, 2014
It is morning rush hour, around 08: 30 a.m. local time, when motorists, cyclists and pedestrians are on wary for their offices, schools and their businesses but a mud- soaked man in tattered dress was rolling at the side of a dusty road here in 8th precinct of Kabul city to take rest.
Seems in his 30s, obviously older than his real age, and was too weak to stand, the ill-fated man was asking for alms to smoke.
"Just one dose," he asked.
"Getting addiction to drug has smashed my life. My family has rejected me and I am an isolated person in family and in society," the feeble man told Xinhua.
Being too weak to speak and reveal his name, the shabby man murmured, "I need money to buy powder (heroin) even very small amount, otherwise I am dying."
He was unable to tell more about his ordeal.
In Afghanistan, a country provides some 90 percent of the world 's raw material used in manufacturing heroin, addiction to drug is going to become major problem in the conflict-ridden society.
More than one million drug addicts are in the strife-torn Afghanistan, according to officials and the number is rising.
Although the government has been fighting for poppy eradication and drug menace, drug addicts are seen everywhere in the war-torn country even in its capital city Kabul.
Pul-e-Sokhta, a slum neighborhood in west of Kabul is famous for housing drug addicts wherein scores of addicts languishing among piles of garbage under a bridge to take their doses either by smoking or syringes.
Cracking down against drug addicts, the security forces occasionally roundup the drug addicts from under Pul-e-Sokhta area and other parts of city and take them to hospitals or their houses but assemble there within days.
The ongoing conflicts and militancy, according to officials, is the main reason for poppy cultivation and drug trafficking in Afghanistan.
Taliban former stronghold the southern Helmand province and adjoining provinces of Kandahar and Zabul where militants are active have been producing major parts of poppy in Afghanistan.
Afghans mostly in the areas where security is fragile and government's control is weak are planting poppy and hashish instead of legal crops, rice, wheat etc. Since the price of opium poppy and hashish is several times more than rice and wheat, the farmers prefer to cultivate illegal crops.
One km hashish at doorstep, according to the farmers is at least 3,000 Afghanis (exchange rate of 1 U.S. dollar is 57 Afghanis) while the price of 7 kg wheat is 300 Afghanis and the price of seven kg rice is 600 Afghanis.
The price of one kg poppy is much more than that of hashish.
Poppy cultivation and drug producing has proved lethal weapon in conflict-hit Afghanistan and gradually claiming the lives of Afghans.
"My brother became drug addict in Iran and after returning to Afghanistan in 2002, he died two years ago," Rahmat Shah of Baghlan province told Xinhua. Endi
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)