Drug Use Spreads Among Iraqi Youth
There is a growing drug problem among Iraqi youth, who deflect criticism of their drug use by offering social and economic justifications.
The negative effects of illegal drugs in Iraq are becoming more apparent. Iraq is being transformed from a country that exports drugs to the Arabian Gulf into a consumer of them. A decade ago, it was rare to see a group of young people sitting on the river bank or in a cafe smoking marijuana or using heroin. No more.
A young man who asked not to be identified told Al-Monitor why he chose to take drugs. “We live in a miserable world with high unemployment, a lot of daily worries, security disturbances and family problems. So it's OK if the youth try to take their minds off all that with drugs.” What’s even more surprising is that this young man is a university graduate. He smokes five joints a day — when he has the money to buy them — otherwise, he gets them from his friends.
