TEHRAN (Iran News) –A training workshop focusing on lowering harms caused by drug addiction was held with the cooperation of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) and Villa Maraini Foundation of Italy in Tehran on December 19-20.

Pirhossein Kolivand, the head of the IRCS, and Massimo Barra, the head of the Villa Maraini Foundation, met on the sidelines of the event.

Kolivand stated that drug users encounter severe health issues, they also suffer from an identity crisis which leads to their exclusion by both their families and society, the IRCS website reported.

However, initiative projects, such as Harm Reduction pertaining to Drug Addiction, serve the purpose of educating and offering healthcare to these individuals, enabling them to reintegrate into society, reunite with their families, and restore self-esteem.

Barra, for his part, emphasized the significance of the problems resulting from drug addiction. Since a large number of individuals are globally affected by addiction, it is crucial to provide them with additional support through greater cooperation, he added.

Effective role of family in reducing drug abuse

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the “life helpers” exhibition on November 17, Mohammad Hosseini, the vice president for parliamentary affairs, described family, schools, media, and organizations as “effective” in reducing drug abuse.

Pointing to the various types of drugs and advertisements targeting youth to persuade them to use drugs, he emphasized the crucial role of family, school, and media in preventing drug addiction and creating trust and self-esteem among the youth.

According to Hosseini, prevention is better than cure because preventive measures are cost-effective, so there should be proper planning and investment in this field.
He also highlighted the necessity of proper upbringing for children and teenagers, stating that if they are raised with no confidence, they will be easily tempted by others.

On average, more than 90 percent of opium discoveries, 27 percent of heroin discoveries, and 59 percent of morphine discoveries in the world are made by Iran, he said, adding that some 716 tons of narcotics were discovered and seized in the past Iranian calendar year (March 2022-March 2023).

The flow of narcotics into Iran has decreased by about 15 percent over the past four years, Eskandar Momeni, the secretary general of the Iranian anti-narcotics headquarters, has said.

The impact of dismantling the financial foundations of drug traffickers has increased by about 10 times over the past three to four years, he said, adding “This has led to a decrease of 15 percent in the entry of drugs into Iran.”