Drug addiction, poppy cultivation increased

Monitoring Desk

KABUL: Afghan Counter-narcotics Minister Salamat Azeemi admitted that poppy cultivation and number of drug addicts has increased in Afghanistan.

Miss Azeemi said this briefing a meeting of counter narcotics committee. The meeting presided over by Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah was also attended by deputy interior minister agriculture and public health ministers besides other senior government officials.

Presenting her ministry’s performance report to the committee Salamat Azeemi expressed grave concern over increase in the number of drug addicts and narcotics production in the country.

Last year, poppy was cultivated over 2800 hectors of land in whole country, this year the poppy has been cultivated over 30,000 hector of land only in Helmand, she informed the meeting.

She said the Afghan government has strong resolve to fighting narcotics with the cooperation of international agencies but has not yet succeeded due to some internal and international factors.

She continued that the number of drug addicts has increased to nearly three million, adding nearly 100,000 children were also addicted to the use of narcotics.

Salamat Azeemi stressed the need for public awareness and implementation of Action Plan against the use of narcotics and poppy cultivation in the country.

According to interior ministry, around 3000 narcotics smugglers and producers including nine international smugglers were held last year.

Agriculture Minister Naseer Ahmad Durrani informed the committee that attention was given to alternative crop in the past years but it did not help in decreasing poppy cultivation.

Public Health Minister Dr. Ferozuddin Feroz said though they did not have enough funds to be provided to the drug rehabilitation hospitals, the health ministry has resolve the issue to some extent.

Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah stressed the need for necessary coordination between the relevant departments, saying failure in fighting poppy cultivation and controlling drug addiction was the failure of entire government and the people.

He said no laxity would be tolerated in this regard.