Researchers say Iran's doing nothing to protect young people from addiction
Addiction among young Iranians is worrying experts who say that as confusion and inconsistency characterize the country's handling of the malady.
Amid a host of pressing economic grievances, flaring tensions with the West and Israel and a nuclear deal on the edge of collapse, Iran's longstanding drug problem has fallen by the wayside.
Only now and then does the debate resurface to briefly grab headlines and disappear again, as was the case with comments in April by a senior parliamentarian who raised alarm on how substance misuse is "worryingly" spreading among Iranian juveniles.
"Regrettably, the addicts' age has fallen to as low 10-12 years," declared Salman Zaker, a member of the Iranian parliament's social committee. "We in parliament can hold officials accountable and be tough, but the anti-addiction campaign needs to gain momentum within society itself."
Zaker noted that Iran has no legal loopholes when it comes to combating narcotics and addiction, as the law has worked out an "adequate response," suggesting that there is an implementation failure to blame.
