ASADABAD (SW) – An alarming rise has been noted in the number of Kunar youth getting addicted with heroin and ‘crystal’.
There is a significant surge in such addicts particularly in the Manogay district of the province. Not many addicts wish to talk to media, however, some of them admit they are addicted to ‘crystal’ and heroin mainly brought here by drug peddlers from neighboring Nangarhar province.
38-year-old Gharibullah is the elder brother of one such addict. He is resident of the Nanglaam area in the Manogay district. Gharibullah said his younger brother’s addiction has made life extremely difficult for the whole family.
Officials in the province admit the rate of addiction among youth is on the rise.
Ibrahim Mamond, head of the provincial counter-narcotics department, told Salam Watandar poverty, joblessness and lack of information are the main reasons why people are turning to drugs. He said there is a 20-bed hospital dedicated to the treatment of the addicts.
Sultan Mohammad Azmi, head of this hospital, told SW previously most of the patients here were from other provinces, but now due to the large number of local addicts, many patients are Kunar residents.
The penetration of this lethal and addictive material in Kunar raises questions over the ability of the security agencies.
ENDS
