Middle East Regional Report
Extent of drug abuse
BAHRAIN
Heroin is reported the most abused drug in Bahrain.
There are 85 registered abusers (U.N. 1990).
Benzodiazepines and minor tranquilizers are the next
most abused drug, with 25 registered abusers (U.N. 1990).
Other drugs abused include inhalants (4 registered
abusers), opium (3 abusers) and cocaine (1 abuser) (U.N. 1990).
EGYPT
Cannabis is reported the most abused drug in Egypt.
Annual prevalence of abuse is estimated at 5 per cent. According to statistics
on people receiving treatment in 1989, there were 488 registered cannabis
registered (U.N. 1989, IDAAS 1990).
Sedatives are the next most abused drugs, with annual
prevalence estimated 2 per cent (IDAAS 1989).
Amphetamines are the next most prevalent drug, with an
annual abuse of about 1 per cent, followed by opiate-type drugs, with an
estimated annual prevalence of 0.5 per cent (IDAAS 1990).
Cocaine and heroin abuse were estimated at 145 and 130
abusers respectively, according to data from drug abusers registries (U.N.
1989).
The total number of persons who had used any illicit
drug in 1989 was about 425,000 persons, or 0.8 per cent of the total
population. About 8 per cent of the male secondary school students in Egypt
have ever abused some type of drug (IDAAS 1989, 1990).
IRAQ
No drug abuse problem was reported by Iraq.
IRAN
Opium is reported the most abused drug in Iran. Annual abuse
is estimated at 0.6 per cent or 350,000 abusers (Workshop 1993).
Heroin is the next most abused drug, with annual abuse
is estimated at 0.2 per cent (U.N. 1992).
Cannabis abuse is also reported, with an annual
prevalence of abuse estimated at nearly 0.1 per cent (U.N. 1989).
ISRAEL
Cannabis is reported the most abused drug in Israel,
with annual prevalence estimated at 1.4 per cent (U.N. 1991). According to a
survey among Army personnel aged 18-21, cannabis is the second most abused drug
with annual prevalence of abuse estimated at 2.9 per cent (U.N. 1992). Over 2
per cent of pupils and more than 4 per cent of adults abused cannabis "in
the past month", according to a representative survey in Tel-Aviv and
Jaffa (U.N. 1991).
Sedative-type drugs are the next most abused drugs, with
annual prevalence estimated at 1.3 per cent (U.N. 1991). Sedative-type drugs
are the most abused drugs according to the Army personnel survey. Annual
prevalence of abuse is estimated at about 3.2 per cent (U.N. 1992). About 5 per
cent of pupils and nearly 7 per cent of adults abused sleeping pills and
tranquilizers "in the past month", according to a representative
survey in Tel-Aviv and Jaffa (U.N. 1991).
Amphetamines, opiate-types, synthetic narcotic
analgesics (methadone) and cocaine are the next most prevalent drugs abused.
Annual prevalence is estimates at about 0.4 per cent for each drug. About 2 per
cent of all pupils and nearly 1 per cent of all adults in a representative
study in Tel-Aviv and Jaffa, abused at least one hard drug (LSD, opium, heroin,
crack, cocaine or similar drugs) in "the last month" (U.N. 1991).
Inhalants are the most abused drug among youth aged
14-17, according to a survey among the Tel-Aviv and Jaffa population (U.N.
1991).
According to a 1990 survey, annual prevalence of abuse
for any psychotropic substances by the jewish adult population was estimated at
6.8 per cent (CMO 1990).
KUWAIT
Cannabis is reported the most abused drug in Kuwait with
11 annual abusers, according to 1991 registry data. Heroin is the next most
abused drug with 4 cases, followed by hallucinogens with 1 case (U.N. 1991). Inhalents,
such as wood glue known as "Pattix", are reported abused by teenagers
(U.N. 1991).
OMAN
No information as to the extent of drug abuse among the
general population is reported. However, it has been reported that 25% of the
total prison population are drug abusers (CMO 1991).
PAKISTAN
Heroin is reported the most abused drug in Pakistan with
nearly 1.1 million abusers. Heroin abusers account for over 48 per cent of the
total number of abusers. Most of the abusers are between 21-25 years of age (31
per cent), and nearly 60 per cent are between 21-30 years of age (Workshop
1993, Fourth National Survey 1989).
Cannabis is the second most popular drug in Pakistan.
The estimated number of abusers is about 900,000 persons, and nearly 1 in 3
drug abusers use cannabis. About 40 per cent of cannabis abusers are in the
21-30 age range, and most are between 26-30 years of age (Workshop 1993, Fourth
National Survey 1989).
Opium is the next most abused drug in Pakistan, with an
estimated number of about 260,000 abusers. Most abusers are in the 26-30 age
group, accounting for 30 per cent of opium abusers (Fourth National Survey
1989).
Tranquilizers abuse has also been reported, with ever
abuse estimated at 5.8 million , according to a household survey in urban areas
(NCP 1989).
QATAR
Heroin is reported the most prevalent drug abused in
Qatar. The estimated annual number of abusers is about 64 persons, with daily
abuse estimated at 40 abusers (U.N. 1990). Benzodiazepines are the next most
abused drug with about 17 annual abusers and 8 daily abusers (U.N. 1990). During
the period of 1988-1990, the number of abusers was reported at 142, of whom 105
were reported for the first time in 1990 (CMO 1990).
SAUDI ARABIA
Heroin, cannabis, amphetamines and sedatives are
reported the most abused drugs in Saudi Arabia. No statistics are available as
to extent of abuse of each drug, although the total number of drug abusers in
1990, was 3,473 (U.N. 1990).
SYRIA
Cannabis is reported the most abused drug in Syria.
Annual abuse is estimated at 2,041 abusers (U.N. 1992).
Heroin is the next most prevalent drug abused with
annual abuse estimated at 1,040 abusers (U.N. 1992).
Other drugs abused include cocaine (87 cases),
amphetamines (75 cases), opiates (25 cases) and sedatives (12 cases) (U.N. 1992).
References and notes
See specific country reports