1. Nguyen Thien Lan – 9923218 - H71310A Page 1 of 14
Illegal drugs use in
Afghanistan
A report analysing the usage of
opium among the men
population and
recommendations for further
expansion
Name: Nguyen Thien Lan
Student number: 9923218
Class number: H71310A
Date: 6/12/2013
Class teachers: Jennifer Rockman
Ian Stuckey

2. Nguyen Thien Lan – 9923218 - H71310A Page 2 of 14
Contents
1 Abstract...........................................................................................................................3
2 Introduction.....................................................................................................................3
2.1 Backgroundinformation on drugs situation in Afghanistan...........................................4
2.2 Opium usage among the men population....................................................................6
2.3 Purpose.....................................................................................................................9
3 Findings ...........................................................................................................................9
3.1 Lack of knowledge......................................................................................................9
3.2 Low-cost price and widespread availability..................................................................9
3.3 Family influence.......................................................................................................10
4 Conclusion .....................................................................................................................11
5 Recommendations..........................................................................................................11
5.1 Lack of knowledge....................................................................................................11
5.2 Low-cost price and widespread availability................................................................12
5.3 Family influence.......................................................................................................13
6 References.....................................................................................................................13

3. Nguyen Thien Lan – 9923218 - H71310A Page 3 of 14
1 Abstract
This report was commissioned by Afghanistan’s Heath Department to analyse drugs use
issue in Afghanistan. It shows that Afghanistan has high drug use rates and there is a massive
increase in opium plants due to its multibillion-dollar business. Illicit drugs use has been a
serious problem in Afghanistan especially for opium usage among the men population. These
report’s findings present 3 significant causes of the rise in male’s opium usage: lack of
knowledge, low-cost price, widespread availability and family influence. To address these big
problems, thisreportsuggestsseveral solutionsinordertoimprove the situationsuch as raising
public awareness campaigns and producing awareness-raising materials. Additionally, this
report also suggest some recommendations such as cooperating with the Ministry of
Agriculture,IrrigationandLivestockof Afghanistan,cooperatingwithAfghanistan’s government
and non-profit organization or non-governmental organization, developing drug prevention
programs and school-based awareness programs, therefore, Afghans can gain a better
understanding about opium usage.
2 Introduction
Illegal drugsare drugsthat have beencontrolledbythe government and cannot be bought
at any drugstore nor prescribed by doctors. Furthermore, illegal drugs contain psychoactive
substancesthatcan have negative effectsonthe users’ health while overdose can even lead to
death. Individually, a drug user also faces various physical, emotional, mental and social
problems. Moreover, UNODC’s survey for drug use in 2009 states that long-term usage also
createsaddiction,violence,anddisruptioninsocial order,theftsand other major problems due
to drug use in the society as a whole. Furthermore, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and

4. Nguyen Thien Lan – 9923218 - H71310A Page 4 of 14
other blood-borne diseases might occur as a result of trading sex for drugs as well as injecting
drugs.
2.1 Background information on drugs situation in Afghanistan
Figure 1. Adapted from UNODC 2005
Afghanistanisadesperatelypoorcountry andthe spreadof opiumpoppyistremendous. Figure
1 indicatesthatthere isa huge amountof drug usersthroughoutAfghanistanandit is creating a
major problem especially in the north. Furthermore, illegal drugs have affected almost one
million Afghans (UNODC 2009).

5. Nguyen Thien Lan – 9923218 - H71310A Page 5 of 14
Figure 2. Adapted from: UNODC 2005
Figure 2 shows that the amount of opium users has increased dramatically across the country,
notably in the north. According to UNODC’s world drug report 2013, Afghanistan is a leading
global producer of opium, which produced 74% of illegal opium globally in 2012 and is widely
affected by drug abuse.

6. Nguyen Thien Lan – 9923218 - H71310A Page 6 of 14
2.2 Opium usage among the men population
Figure 3. Adapted from: UNODC 2005

7. Nguyen Thien Lan – 9923218 - H71310A Page 7 of 14
Figure 4. Adapted from: UNODC 2005
Both figure 3 and figure 4 adapted from UNODC’s survey in 2005 were based on a total
of 1480 key informants and 1393 drug users. According to UNODC (2005), key informants are
people whohave alotof knowledgeaboutdruguse intheir society. Each key informant or drug
user was asked to give an estimate of each demographic for opium and heroin usage (UNODC
2005). The survey in 2005 from UNODC shows that men use opium more than heroin and the
number of male opium users is higher than female. Moreover, UNODC (2009) states that the
numberof opiumusersin Afghanistan has increased greatly from 150,000 to 230,000 (53%) and
estimated 1.9% among the Afghans adult population use opium. Furthermore, UNODC (2009)
declares that opium is the common drug type among men.

8. Nguyen Thien Lan – 9923218 - H71310A Page 8 of 14
Figure 5. Adapted from: UNODC 2005
According to UNODC’s world drug report (2010), most of drug users are men because
Afghanistan’scommunityhashigherstigma for women who use drugs. Figure 5 shows that the
number of men opium users is much more than women in both urban and rural area. In
addition, the UNODC’s survey (2009) shows that numerous of male drug users felt addicted to
the substancesandwere three timesmore addictedcomparedwithwomen.Forinstance,Kabul
is the largest city in Afghanistan, which has the number of addicted-male rise up to 9.9% of
Kabul population, far more than women, which accounts for 3.7% based on Afghanistan
National Urban Drug Use Survey (2012).

9. Nguyen Thien Lan – 9923218 - H71310A Page 9 of 14
2.3 Purpose
Thisreportwas commissionedbyAfghanistan’sHealthDepartmenttoanalyse issuesarising
fromthis recent illegal drug problems about opium among the men population. It presents an
analysis of this situation and several recommendations.
3 Findings
3.1 Lack of knowledge
Afghans traditionally use opium as a self-treatment to cure illness and health problems
such as painand ache (UNODC2010). Moreover, opiumusedwidelyasakindof self-medication
to escape the reality among many Afghans (UNODC 2009). Most of Afghans live in poverty and
receive loweducationornone educationatall. Because Afghanistan is a poor country and their
educationislimited,people do not have adequate awareness about opium, hence they take it
as a kind of medicine for centuries without knowing the risk of it.
3.2 Low-cost price and widespread availability
Since low-costprice of opiumisalmosteverywhere inAfghanistan, the number of opium
users in Afghanistan was estimated to be 230,000 (UNODC 2012). One of the reasons why
opium is cheap in Afghanistan is because people grow it widely with extremely unlimited
quantities due to its high profit. Furthermore, gross profit made from opium cultivation is ten
timeshigherthanfromwheat(UNODC2005). Wheatis a lowerproductioncostwhile opiumis a
cash crop, which has an economic importance in Afghanistan (Figure 6). Additionally, the
amount of income from opium-growing families get in Afghanistan is higher compared to
families who do not grow opium (UNODC 2012). Hence, according to UNODC’s report (2013),

10. Nguyen Thien Lan – 9923218 - H71310A Page 10 of 14
the amount of land spending for opium poppy cultivation in 2013 increases 36% over 2012 and
opium production increases 49% compared to 2012.
Figure 6. Reproduced from: UNODC 2012
Massive quantity of opium makes it becomes cheaper than ever before. Thus, drug users in
opium-growingregion spend less money to buy drugs because they have easy access to cheap
drugs due to its popularity (UNODC 2012).
3.3 Family influence
Alarmingly, UNODC’s statistics (2010) reveals that 50% of drug users give opium to their
familymembers.UNODC’sinterview amongthe drugusers in2009 showsthat theyhave at least
anotherfamily memberwhouse opiumregularlyand 40% of drug users are influenced by their
adults,whereasthe numberof drug users who have younger family members are using opium
regularly accounts for one third.

11. Nguyen Thien Lan – 9923218 - H71310A Page 11 of 14
4 Conclusion
The most significant issue facing Afghanistan is the amount of men who are addicted to
opiumisdramaticallygrowingasa resultfrom lack of knowledge and education, low-cost price
and widespreadavailability of opium in Afghanistan as well as family influence. These serious
problemsmightdamage Afghanistan’sreputationand make Afghans struggle with the national
tragedy.
5 Recommendations
To address this serious situation, Afghanistan’s Health Department should:
5.1 Lack of knowledge
 Developpublicawareness campaigns and programs to create a massive impact. To support
these programs, Afghanistan’s Health Department can recruit volunteers to make the
programsmore effective. Furthermore,the programscanhelpto raise consciousness about
drug addiction and its harms (UNODC 2010), therefore, Afghans can understand about the
danger in which opium creates.
 Produce awareness-raisingmaterialsondrug-use problems along with overdose, HIV/AIDS
as well asotherdiseases(UNODC2010). Thiscould helppeople toimprove theirknowledge
about the harm of using opium.

12. Nguyen Thien Lan – 9923218 - H71310A Page 12 of 14
5.2 Low-cost price and widespread availability
Figure 7. Reproduced from: MCN 2012
 Instead of growing illicit crops such as opium, growing legal crops that has higher price of
income ispossiblyabetteralternative solution.Forinstance,the income made from saffron
products is four times higher compared to the opium poppy products per hectare (MCN
2012). Afghanistan’sHealthDepartmentshould corporate with the Ministry of Agriculture,
Irrigation and Livestock of Afghanistan to demonstrate to farmers through weekly events
and programs about the advantages of growing legal crops such as saffron and corm to
reduce the amount of opium plants.
 Corporate with Afghanistan’s government to give a monthly subsidy to farmers who grow
licit crops therefore, they are less likely to grow illicit crops.

13. Nguyen Thien Lan – 9923218 - H71310A Page 13 of 14
5.3 Family influence
 Develop drug prevention programs and school-based awareness programs to make a
significant impact and teach them how to live a better life. Furthermore, Afghanistan’s
healthdepartmentcould provide more information about drug prevention on the news or
TV channels so people can avoid it in the first place.
 Corporate with some non-profit organizations (NPOs) or non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) tomake drug preventionprogramsmore affective.Additionally,NPOsandNGOs can
raise money donations effectively to promote these campaigns and programs.
6 References
Ministry of Counter Narcotics (MCN) 2013, Afghanistan Drug Report 2012 – Executive summary
and policy implications, MCN.
Ministry of Counter Narcotics (MCN) 2013, ‘Farmers gross income (USD) per hectare by crop –
2009 -2012 prices’, graph, Afghanistan Drug Report 2012 – Executive summary and policy
implications, MCN, p.62.
UnitedNationsOffice on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2009, Drug use in Afghanistan: 2009 survey
– executive summary, UNODC.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2013, World Drug Report 2013, UNODC.
UnitedNationsOffice onDrugsandCrime (UNODC) 2005, table 2a, Afghanistan drug use survey
2005 – executive summary, UNODC, p.6.
UnitedNationsOffice on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2005, table 5, Afghanistan drug use survey
2005 – executive summary, UNODC, p.16.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2005, Afghanistan drug use survey 2005 –
executive summary, UNODC.
UnitedNationsOffice onDrugsandCrime (UNODC) 2005, table 2b, Afghanistan drug use survey
2005 – executive summary, UNODC, p.6.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2010, World drug report 2010, UNODC.
United States Department of State and Bureau of International Narcotic and Law Enforcement
Affairs (INL) 2012, Afghanistan National Urban Drug Use Survey (ANUDUS) 2012.

14. Nguyen Thien Lan – 9923218 - H71310A Page 14 of 14
UnitedNationsOffice onDrugs and Crime (UNODC) 2010, Around 1 million Afghans suffer from
drug addiction, UNODC reports, UNODC, viewed 25 November 2013,
<http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2010/June/around-one-million-afghans-suffer-from-drug-
addiction-unodc-survey-shows.html>
UnitedNationsOffice onDrugsandCrime (UNODC) 2005, ‘Afghanistan:Estimated drug users by
zone’, map, Afghanistan drug use survey 2005 – executive summary, UNODC, p.4.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2005, ‘Afghanistan: Estimated number of
opium users by zone’, map, Afghanistan drug use survey 2005 – executive summary, UNODC,
p.8.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2012, Afghanistan opium survey 2012,
UNODC.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2005, Afghanistan opium survey 2005,
UNODC.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2013, Afghanistan opium survey 2013 –
Summary findings, UNODC.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2013, ‘Gross income per hectare from
opium and wheat, 2003-2012 (US dollars per hectare)’, graph, Afghanistan opium survey 2012,
UNODC, p.63.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2010, Concept note – Reducing Drug
Demand and HIV in Afghanistan, UNODC.