Iran Official: Drug Prevention Should Start In Childhood

Tehran, Sept 1, IRNA - The primary prevention of drug addiction should start early in life, said the head of Children, Health and Development Institute. Robabeh Sheikholeslam added that providing children with proper training will help reduce drug addiction in society. Sheikholeslam urged organizations involved in drug control activities, including Drug Control Headquarters of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran Police and health and education ministries, to devise proper plans in this respect. She said substance abuse prevention skills should be taught to kids from the age of three, adding that this will help them avoid drug addiction in adulthood. Sheikholeslam believes publication of books on boosting self-esteem and innovation capability in children will also help reduce drug addiction. “The institute has launched a website on different aspects of child nurture,” she said, urging the headquarters to cooperate with the institute in this regard. Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said earlier nine people die of drug abuse in Iran on a daily basis. Rahmani added that the use of psychedelic drugs, produced illegally from low quality materials, has led to an increase in drug-related deaths. He noted that 395 narcotics labs were busted in Iran in the last Iranian year (ended March 20, 2014). Rahmani, who is also secretary-general of Iran’s Drug Control Headquarters, said as announced previously, Iran has 1.3 million drug abusers, 63 percent of whom are married. “About 53 percent of divorces in the country pertain to addicts,” he said./end