{"id":3121,"date":"2026-08-05T06:58:38","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T06:58:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cpiran.net\/english\/?p=3121"},"modified":"2026-08-05T07:02:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T07:02:39","slug":"the-spread-of-drug-use-among-school-students-in-iran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cpiran.net\/english\/the-spread-of-drug-use-among-school-students-in-iran\/","title":{"rendered":"The Spread of Drug Use Among School Students in Iran"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The growing prevalence of drug use among school students and adolescents has become one of the most serious social and public health challenges facing Iran today. It not only threatens the physical and mental well-being of an entire generation but also places the personal and social future of millions of young people at risk. What makes this trend even more alarming is its spread to younger age groups and into environments that were once considered relatively protected from such harm; including primary schools, working-class neighborhoods, and even newborn infants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to field reports from officials of the State Welfare Organization in several counties of Khorasan Province, the primary substance driving addiction among students today is nas (a form of smokeless tobacco). Because of a legal loophole, the sale of nas is not considered a criminal offense, making it readily available in convenience stores located near schools. Local officials have reported that children begin using the substance as early as the later years of primary school, while its use has become widespread among students in lower secondary schools. Although the problem has been particularly highlighted in Khorasan Province, officials emphasize that it is not confined to a single region and can be observed, to varying degrees, across many parts of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even more alarming than the use of nas in schools is the condition of children who are exposed to addiction before birth. Welfare officials have reported cases in which infants are born with drug dependency because of their mothers’ addiction. In families where both parents are addicted, young children spend their formative years in homes where they are continuously exposed to drug smoke. This phenomenon, locally described as passive exposure to narcotic smoke, has reportedly caused some children to gradually develop behavioral and physical signs associated with addiction. According to these reports, many of the children removed from their families were under the age of ten and had themselves become addicted after growing up in environments heavily contaminated by drug use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A comprehensive examination of the issue suggests that substance abuse among students results from the interaction of several factors. At the individual level, low self-esteem, adolescent curiosity, and peer pressure contribute to the risk of drug use. The family environment also plays a decisive role. Dysfunctional family relationships, ineffective parenting practices, and, in particular, the increasing economic pressures on working-class and low-income households create conditions that make children more vulnerable to addiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the broader social level, easy access to drugs, the lack of legal restrictions on substances such as nas, and relatively indifferent public attitudes toward their dangers have all contributed to the spread of the problem. Schools themselves are not immune. Poor academic performance, a weakened sense of belonging among students, and the absence of comprehensive prevention programs have, in some cases, left schools unable to function as protective environments against substance abuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the primary responsibility for addressing this crisis rests with state institutions. As long as substances such as nas are not legally classified as narcotics and their sale remains lawful, local preventive efforts are unlikely to achieve lasting results. Beyond this legislative gap, the roots of Iran’s addiction crisis lie in broader economic and social policies. Widespread poverty, unemployment, the deterioration of working-class living conditions, and insufficient investment in public education and healthcare have created fertile ground for addiction among children and adolescents. Rather than allocating resources to treatment and rehabilitation for affected families, authorities have largely relied on short-term security-oriented approaches while failing to pursue long-term policies aimed at reducing poverty and inequality, which are among the principal drivers of addiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the second most important environment in a child’s life after the family, schools have a crucial role in early identification and prevention. Teachers and school staff can contribute by teaching life skills, fostering trusting relationships between students and schools, and recognizing early signs of vulnerability among at-risk students. Yet this role can only be fulfilled if the educational system itself receives adequate support. A shortage of school counselors, overcrowded curricula, and the lack of specialized training for teachers in identifying substance abuse have significantly limited schools’ capacity to respond effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The family remains the child’s first and most important line of defense against addiction. Yet under conditions of economic hardship, unemployment, and widespread financial insecurity affecting working-class families, many parents no longer have the time or resources needed to supervise and support their children effectively. Where parents themselves struggle with addiction, this protective network may collapse entirely, leaving children without meaningful safeguards. Strengthening family relationships, increasing parents’ awareness of the dangers posed by substances such as nas, and ensuring access to free counseling services for low-income families are among the most urgent measures needed to address this growing crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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