The state-run Mehr news agency in Iran published a report on addiction among women in Central Province and the city of Arak.
“The main target of the addiction crisis this time is women. Left without a caretaker, being the target of physical and sexual exploitation, suffering from various infectious diseases like AIDS and Hepatitis, and finally threats from families and the crumbling of the family are the consequences of women becoming addicted to drugs and the lack of adequate medical centers in the Central Province to end addiction among women have all added to this problem…”, this news agency reported.
Zahra Faraji, director general of the Office of Women and Family Affairs in Central Province, says, “Unfortunately, the amount of addiction increasing among women has increased from 5.4 percent last year to 9.8 percent this year, and this is a serious threat for families. Also, the type of drugs used by women has changed from traditional to industrial drugs and the reasons behind this must be evaluated.” 
She emphasized the fact that today the increase in addiction amongst women is becoming a serious problem and stipulated, “Unfortunately, the age of addiction among women has decreased and reached the teenage years.”
Mohammad Zidvand, secretary of the Council of Narcotics in Central Provinces, says in this regard, “Based on research conducted on the spread of this matter in 2011, the number of those addicted in this province was reported as 1.87 percent, meaning 25,000 people. Of this amount 10 percent were women and research shows this number increases each year.”
“The lack of medical centers for women where they can receive treatment for addiction is a major problem in this regard. In the DIC center of Arak the capacity of addicted women is normally very limited and 3 other such medical centers lack any official legal permissions,” he added. (State-run Mehr news agency – July 20, 2014)
