A New Approach - Iran

March 2006
At the instigation of President Ahmadinejad, Iran's theocratic government has adopted a surprising drugs policy. It's radical and stands in stark contrast to many Western drugs policies.

In a squalid back alley in Tehran, addicts are shooting up. "I have no hope in my life any more", despairs one. Iran has the highest heroin addiction rate in the world. No other country even comes close. Back in the days of Ayatollah Khomeini, addicts were executed. But faced with an HIV epidemic, the current government has adopted a more enlightened approach. "People think the current government is more conservative and fundamentalist. But it supports our programmes much more than previous governments", states drugs counsellor, Bijan Nassirimanesh. Addicts are now treated as patients not criminals. The state subsidises free syringes, medical care and treatment programmes. "The needle exchange programme has massively brought down the number of HIV cases", praises one addict. And it's a policy that has the long term support of Ahmadinejad. "When Ahmadinejad was mayor of Tehran, he ordered the city authorities to build 40 drop-in centres. Now that he's President, he's always talking about methadone treatment."

Category:

News & Politics

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• Addiction
• Tehran
• President
• Ahmadinejad
• HIV
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[tpvalley]

do u also know that during prohibition in america MORE people drank alcohol?

it is prices being high, adulteration and crime that r the problems, not the drug alone, buying from a chemist wont lure in the young like an exotic illegal exciting sounding drug. would u buy it?

should booze be illegal? 97% of those who try heroin dont like the feeling and dont get hooked, 75%+ like alcohol and consume for the rest of their lives which is more harmful than pure heroin and the withdrawl is worse!

[IranMarzban]

this all should be legalized, then there will be control over drug abuse... and no more mafia and violence associated with drugs.

[tpvalley]

@AtheistPharmacist

in holland they give free delivery of methadone to remove the negative enforcement of scoring from pharmacy.

[AtheistPharmacist]

methadone take homes? i don't just want a simple once a month pick up :/ i want home delivery!!!

[tpvalley]

@delacy2005

because its still death penalty for smuggling, this makes no mention of the law.

[khargooshkhargoosh]

i hate methadone i never enjoy of it

[delacy2005]

why if govt sanctions this are many being hanged for drugs offences there are mass executions of drug addicts so this reporter is not truthful

[delacy2005]

why if govt sanctions this are many being hanged  for drugs offences

[tpvalley]

@Straylight100

did u know the rothschilds r related by marriage to the sasoon family who had opium monopoly rights for china under queen victoria?

it was also rotschilds and rokafella who required talibans removal for oil and gas lines from caspian basin.

we even invaded in poppy planting season!

[Mattikish]

Oh wow! i had no idea Iran was so Mature about their drug problem... Interesting.

[Straylight100]

Look how cool they are about dishing out the 'done with just one guy sitting behind a crappy old writing desk. In the West they have more security than some bank vaults before you even see a drop of methadone.

[I also wonder if those cops would have been their usual brutal thuggish selves when dealing with addicts if the camera hadn't been there]

[Straylight100]

I wonder if the cops would have acted differently if the camera hadn't been there?