The Most Dangerous Countries for Drug Addicts

Scattered throughout the globe are many countries struggling with drug use, abuse and addiction. For several of these said countries, drug trafficking has become a central part of their local economy—and not without high cost. Unsurprisingly, countries whose populations struggle with drug addictions are among some of the most dangerous in the world, from having high rates of crime, to high drug-related accidents, to just poor general health. Below are listed a few of these countries and the impact drug abuse has had on their societies.

Russia

In Russia, becoming a drug addict can be rather deadly. The country struggles with high degree of intravenous use; as a result, certain areas are suffering from a significantly high number of HIV/AIDS cases. According to the World Wide Health organization, Russia is currently enduring on of the worst HIV/AIDS epidemics in all of Europe. Heroin is the drug of choice for a good portion of Russia’s youth and sharing needles, always a risky venture, is not uncommon. Officials say that nearly one quarter of the world’s heroin is imported to Russia, which is one of the worst drug addiction statistics of any country.

Afghanistan

According to surveys, 90 percent of all heroin in Europe originates in Afghanistan; the country is the top producer of opium (the drug used to make heroin) in the entire world. Heroin usage within the country is a growing problem as well and one which shows little sign of stopping. According to a 2009 survey conducted by the United Nations, one in every 12 people in Afghanistan abuses heroin— that is double the number found in the previous survey four years earlier. The drug is relatively cheap, costing less than one dollar a day and few rehabilitation facilities exist to combat the expanding problem. High rates of unemployment, neglected children and social upheaval are gripping the country, as a result.

United States

The United States may not be known for the manufacture of its own drugs, but it is widely recognized as a country with one of the most serious drug-related problems worldwide. Even though resources like http://www.drugrehab.net/ are available to combat the rise of substance abuse, the United States still has one of the world’s highest drug-related death rates and is among the world’s top consumers of both cocaine and crystal meth. These drugs present grave issues concerning violence and crime; an addict sent to jail in the U.S. has little hope of recovering from their addiction. United States prisons are often circulating any number of drugs, some arranged through prisoner networking, some brought in by visitors and others still from corrupt officers. Prisoners in American jails can be more likely to have access to certain drugs within jail than they would at home, in fact.

Also troubling is the reality that most U.S. jails are limited by strict budgets and simply do not have the funding to institute the rehabilitation programs that addicts often so desperately need. Without proper treatment, it is statistically certain that many of these addicts, after their release, will return to jail. Some people wonder:  is it too dangerous to enter drug rehab in the U.S.? And the answer for that seems to be, possibly not as dangerous as it is to be a drug addict in the prison system.

Australia

Unlike many of the other countries on this list, Australia’s population suffers from problems related to a legal drug: alcohol. Overall, Australians drink large quantities of alcohol—and they drink in frequently. According to research conducted in 2007, almost 10 percent of the population over the age of 14 was drinking at a level considered risky, that is, five or more drinks a day for females or seven or more drinks a day for males. Drinking is a large part of Australian culture. It’s socially acceptable, even encouraged. As a result, Australia is currently facing high rates of alcohol-related deaths, such as liver cirrhosis, strokes and suicide; about one in ten Australians is dying each day as a result of this legal drug.

About the Author:

Mary Lou Pan became interested in drug rehab in the U.S. and substance abuse counseling while studying psychology. She is a part-time blogger based on information provided on http://www.drugrehab.net/ and an advocate for drug rehabilitation programs within U.S. prisons.