Young Iraqis experiment with variety of drugs
In addition to traditional turn-ons, drug users in Iraq are expanding their habits to include everything from LSD to seemingly mundane treatments for arthritis.
BAGHDAD — As the use of narcotics and hallucinogenic drugs is growing among Iraqi youths, the Wasit Crime Combating Directorate in east-central Iraq has launched a massive campaign against those who deal in hallucinogenic drugs, as well as those who are addicted.
In Baghdad's Mansour district, sometimes young women can be seen smoking hallucinogenic drugs in coffee shops. In the southern city of Basra, drug abuse is common among young boys, students and the unemployed, who can easily obtain substances from peddlers. In the first half of this year, Basra recorded 31 deaths from drug overdoses.
Pharmacist Hussein Abu Laban told Al-Monitor that a range of medicine is being abused: pills for the treatment of everything from schizophrenia and severe depression to the tremors of Parkinson's disease and the pain and inflammation of arthritis. He also mentioned tranquilizers and hallucinogens such as LSD.
"Young addicts resort to them for excitement, just like 'regular' drugs," such as pot, cocaine or heroin, Abu Laban said.
