Mental Health

Former Drug Addicts Volunteer to Help Afghanistan’s 3 Million Drug Addicts

By Joie M Gahum | Update Date: Mar 02, 2017 07:30 AM EST

Several former addicts are volunteering at the Bridge of Hope Health Organization who aims to provide care and counseling to drug addicts and users. As Afghanistan faces its highest rate in drug use, with an estimated 3 million addicts which account for 10 percent of its population, rehabilitated addicts are offering their help to hopefully decrease the numbers.

CBS News reports that Afghanistan is considered as one the countries with the highest rates of drugs use in the world. The country is facing an overwhelming challenge, together with the government since the country is also known as the world's number one source of opium and heroin.

Authorities are already establishing several treatment centers. Police and health officials are also working hand in hand to be able to clear up addicts from the streets and bring them into the centers for care and rehabilitation. Billions of dollars are already invested in counter-drug campaigns in the past 10 years including the move to encourage poppy farmers to switch to other crops.

Despite the government's efforts, the number of drug users is still growing which includes Afghans working in Iran and Pakistan, where drugs are an even more threatening problem.

There are already 10 former drug addicts that have volunteered at the Bridge of Hope Health Organization located in the Kabul districts where they provide help to 15-30 people a day, including counseling and screening for HIV.

Meanwhile, reports from US News reveals that The Center for Disease Control and Prevention have already declared opioids an epidemic in the country. In 2014, 12.5 million Americans were reported to misusing prescription pain relievers while 47,055 deaths have already been recorded due to a drug overdose. Substance use disorders are also costing the US more than $400 billion every year on health care, social welfare, criminal justice costs and lost workplace productivity.

The numbers are still increasing not only in the US and Afghanistan but as well as the rest of the world. Governments, on the other hand, are formulating ways on how to contain and solve this problem.

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