Afghanistan’s Hidden Drug Problem: The Misuse of Psychotropics

Afghanistan has gained notoriety as the world’s leading producer of opium and heroin, but less well known is that it also has an increasing number of problem drug users. While popular perceptions of drug misuse and dependency in the country tend to focus on illicit drugs, the evidence suggests that many people also misuse psychotropics—pharmaceutical drugs such as painkillers and tranquillisers that are often cheap and widely available from pharmacies and other retail outlets.