A sum of $ 8.5 million has been allocated for health insurance of drug addicts, Alireza Jazini, secretary general of the anti-drug campaign and the deputy head of the Drug Control Headquarters (DCH) said.
“The tariffs for treatment of addicts through insurance coverage have been approved and the plan will soon be implemented,” he added.
Jazini also warned about high consumption of crystal methamphetamine in Iran and said consumption of industrial drugs contributes to 25% of homicides in the country. Also drug use is the cause of 65% of domestic violence and spousal abuse and 55% of divorces, Alef News Agency reported.
“We should construct residential centers for about 50,000 addicts across the country; this will help take complete care and treatment of drug addicts and prevent harm to others,” the official said.
Meth Labs
In the first 9 months of the current year (ends March 20), 213 meth labs were discovered in the country. The amount of industrial drugs has increased dramatically because of the increase in the labs.
In the current year 560 tons of opium and other opium-based traditional and industrial drugs were seized, while the destruction of each drug consignment threw up 181 kg of drugs.
He also said that 84% of callers at the counseling centers launched recently are women, and 48% of them are concerned about the impact of industrial drugs particularly crystal.
Jazini said the mortality figure of addicts has reached 2000 in the current year and of this number 200 were women. The mortality rate has increased by 9.2% compared to the same period last year.
Based on the latest statistics, 20% of blue-collar workers abuse drugs, he said, pointing out that they are making efforts to tackle the problem by educating the blue-collar workforce so as to prevent drug abuse among them. ‘’Reviewing drug laws and money laundering laws’ can also be effective in tackling drug trade and addiction. The results of a study conducted in 2004 showed drug-related issues cost the nation $ 3.3 billion in that year, he added quoted by ISNA.
