6 Countries With The Worst Drug Problems

The United States is believed to be home to the world’s worst drug problems. Although this is a known fact, other countries also experience high rates of drug addiction and abuse. To make things worse, not a lot of these countries offer solutions and if there is any, addicts often do not get the treatment they need. As a result of this, many individuals become homeless or, even worse, suffer from mental health problems because of their drug addiction.

In reports conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, people with substance abuse and addiction must have access to treatment. However, there are some countries that do not offer such options. Unfortunately, many counties do the opposite of treating drug addicts and this is by criminalizing any drug and throwing those who are suffering from addiction in jail. Instead of giving them much-needed rehabilitation, many drug addicts are either given jail time or worse, sentenced to death because of their addictions. Many of these countries also suffer from poor health care systems which is why rehabilitation is not a priority for many of them. So, which countries have the worst drug addiction problems? Here’s what you need to know.

China

China is known for the possession, selling, distributing, and manufacturing of drugs to many Chinese individuals as well as provinces in the borders of China. While this is a well-known offense in the country, there is still an increasing number of cases of drug addiction. Each year, about 2,000 people are executed due to drug possession and addiction. That number is surprisingly high in comparison to the cases combined around the world.

Iran

Another country suffering from high cases of drug addiction is Iran. Drugs like opium and crystal meth are among some of the most abused substances in the country. Not only that, but Iran also ranks high on the World Misery Index. They also have one of the toughest criminal codes known as this is based on the Islamic Shariah Law. This means that they have legal and cultural punishments for consuming intoxicating substances like alcohol and drugs. They are also one of the countries that execute around 300 people a year in relation to their drug addiction. However, studies showed that the country does offer some programs to help address these problems. Among these include needle-exchange programs, methadone clinics, and other charities to help fight the addiction around their country. However, with the increasing number of unemployed young adults, inflation and cheap heroin obtained from Afghanistan, fixing the growing drug addiction is becoming a huge problem for the Iranian government. It is particularly challenging especially since the country’s fundamental Islamic presence addresses the issue with severe penalties. This includes putting people to death for drug-related crimes. The good news, however, is that there are now movements at work to help end capital punishments for offenses that are nonviolent such as this.

Afghanistan

It is considered to be the world’s number one manufacturer of opium and is the center of the opium trade. According to reports, they now developed ways to refine the opium they produced into heroin which is more affordable than others. It is also estimated that 1 million people in this country alone are addicted to the said drug. Addiction to drugs is believed to be due to the fact that their country has suffered decades of war and violence that many people turn to drug use as a means of coping. Officials within the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime have pointed out a huge increase in the production of cheap heroin in the country which they believe could be the reason behind the ever-growing drug epidemic.

In a world survey conducted, it shows that 90% of all heroin entering and used in Europe can be traced back to Afghanistan. In addition to their drug addiction problem, the country also lacks the capacity to offer the needed treatment and rehabilitation. This is also the reason why many people including young children are addicted to heroin.

Russia

Russia is notorious for its severe prisons and arrests even without trials but despite their harsh penal codes, the nation suffers from an increasing drug addiction problem. They do not have a well-functioning health care system either- this could be one of the reasons why many drug addicts are prevented from seeking treatment for their condition. A spike in intravenous drug use has also become a big problem in this country, especially among young adults and teenagers. According to reports, heroin users are estimated to be around 1 million while experts believe it to be closer to 2 million. The drug abuse and addiction era dramatically fell after the Soviet Union in the 1990s but over the years, the number of drug addicts and drug addictions has changed. This increasing addiction to intravenous drugs is also said to be the reason why Russia is one of the fastest-growing HIV/AIDS epidemics around the world.

Great Britain

About 15 million people have been reported to use drugs while 3 million of Britain’s population takes drugs on a regular basis. In 2014, the number of drug addiction showed drastic changes since 2008. One of the main drugs used by many people in this country is marijuana followed by amphetamines and cocaine. Among all European countries, England is the number one solicitor of illegal drugs mainly using cocaine and heroin. It is also reported that individuals who are prone to addiction are pre-teens and teenagers as they are known to experiment with illicit drugs at an early age.

Malaysia

Known for jailing tourists and even sentencing them to death for consuming illegal substances, it is an irony that Malaysia is one of the countries around the world with a huge number of drug addiction problems. Despite having strict laws regarding trafficking, selling, distributing and possession of drugs, their national health care system and even private health care does not really address the growing drug addiction problem within their own nation.

Drug addiction is not a new concept or problem to us and to think that we are already in the 21^st century, we should have resolved this issue by now. Unfortunately, this is still an ever-growing problem, and the more that we turn a blind eye to it, the more we lose people to addiction. The good news is that no matter where you are in the world, you have the option to get treated. After all, it is not too late to turn your life around so it’s best to get treated and see what life has to offer!