one to ten million?

it sounds like a Soviet count.

I'm surprised they're so open about it, and I'm surprised there are so many addicts. I'm not real surprised their blaming the U.S.-Afghanistan connection and I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a slight element of truth to the claim.

The U.S. Drug Policy has always been a misguided approach. They've turned addicts into roaches hiding in the dark corners of society. We need to make treatment a compassionate roll in our so called war on drugs.

100% agree with you Hypno. Our approach is SO WRONG. The stats in the US are horrifying. We throw addicts in jail and when they get out of jail, they commit more crimes to feed their addiction and back into jail they go.

It's an extremely vicious cycle and a societal problem that we need to deal with head on instead of sticking them in jail cells and out of our sight.

We could take a page from Iran's playbook and start to treat addiction as a health problem instead of a criminal problem.

And Stephley, i don't think the U.S. intentionally isn't doing anything about poppy seeds in Afghanistan, but its certainly an effective by-product to keep Iran's government focused on this problem.

I agree hypno as well. Not only are addicts thrown into the prison system where they get little to no treatment, but then are released and expected to figure it out themselves. Well if addicts were able to kick the habit themselves they wouldn't have gone to jail in the first place. It is just extremely sad because it ruins so many lives, which I have personally experienced.

I think you're right Nica, benign neglect can be just as effective as active participation.

Stephley, did you ever see "Braveheart?"

There's this one scene where that nasty old English King is deciding whether to send his French daughter-in-law to "negotiate" with William Wallace (i.e. use her as bait while they capture him). His son is appalled and says that she could be killed or held for ransom. The king points out that it can work both ways - they can either capture and kill William Wallace (thus acheiving their goal) or they can appeal to the French that their princess has been captured and they will have an ally in their traditional enemy against Wallace.

"So young prince, you must see that in every situation there is a positive. This you must learn."

I don't know why, but that scene has always stayed with me. The world is an ugly place and sometimes things that you don't intend to happen will happen. You just take advantage of whatever situation comes and make it a positive for yourself.

Never saw Braveheart but agree the connection works. (I think we're agreeing...)
I've seen people talking about how, because of the way we're handling things in Afghanistan, farmers almost have no choice but to keep the poppies coming - I doubt 'because it keeps Iran in addicts' is on the U.S. list of reasons why they're doing what they are in Afghanistan but probably someone has noticed 'hey, look it's also keeping Iran in addicts. Cool.' For it to be intentional would require way too much effort, manuvering and luck.

Yes Stephley, we are totally agreeing.

haha. I totally read that as 1 IN 10 million Iranians have an addiction problem. I was so confused b/c with a population of 70 million that would mean only 7 people in the country have a drug problem. Treating 7 people can't be that difficult, can it?

Now that I read, that is a lot! I am also surprised they are admitting it--and that they treat it as a disease. Maybe we can learn something from Iran...oh, that'll be the day.

I can see ignoring the fields, especially with all those bullets flying around overhead...

Oh poor babies - they're close to the Afghani poppy fields, it's all our fault that those fields are there. I don't see any of their troops out there trying to fight al quaeda or the taliban, or the poppy fields. Why don't they just complain some more about a situation that they are not even trying to help out. If they spend as much as we have on Afghanistan and its liberation, then they can prioritize what gets taken care of first.

Poppies are the only option for some of those people to get back on their feet. Until there are other viable options for lucrative income, there will be no way to stop it.

Totally agree Hypno/Nica. After seeing addiction first hand via my ex-husband I've seen how damaging it can be and how so many people just treat addicts like outcasts when they really need help. But at the same time the addicts need to want to get help or it never works.

Totally true Milos. The key ingredient is that the addict WANTS to get help. If they're not ready for it, there's no way in h*ll its going to work. My cousin had lots of problems with alcohol for years but it wasn't until he decided to stop that he actually did something about it.

my sister's husband's other family are all addicts. The mother had a HUGE heroine addiction, and the two daughters followed their mommy. I agree that the addict has to want help before anything productive can be done.

"The U.S. Drug Policy has always been a misguided approach."

I agree. I think part of what keeps the business thriving is that since it is illegal, it makes it harder to ship and sell. The illegality keeps the price up, and so it makes it more lucritive for those who want to do the dirty work to sell it.

I think our drug policy lacks focus, and would benefit from decriminalizing lesser drugs.

Also, Meth is ruining our country, and yet it only has 3 sources! There are only 3 companies in the entire world that make the main component in Meth....this makes it so different from other drugs that have organic roots and can be grown by anyone in the right conditions.

Jill have you seen the show "Breaking Bad" it's about a chemistry teacher who starts making/selling meth to pay for his medical bills and help take care of his family after he gets cancer. I don't know if it's true or not but from what it shows it's not that hard to make if you can find the right stuff. I totally agree with you on the decriminalizing lesser drugs. They could spend less time bothering with the pot growers and have more time to go after these super dangerous meth labs that people set up in their homes.

I don't think legalizing anything that harms people is a good thing.

Oh, but Undave, tobacco and alcohol are legal. They kill.

There are a number of "recipies" for making Meth, but ultimately you have to get psudo-ephedrine (I believe that is what it is called, but the spelling is way off). There are only 3 drug companies that make that ingredient, and that is the key to the high. The other parts vary...bleach, fertilizer, chemicals, etc.

"I don't think legalizing anything that harms people is a good thing."

But with many drugs, even ones that are currently legal, what is deemed "harmful" is a big grey area. The list of side effects from some legal drugs can be quite a bit longer and more serious than some drugs that are currently illegal.

Did anyone else see the History Channels presentation of Drugs in America? Shoot I can't remember which one it was Heroin or Acid but there was a drug that was a government funded trail in which people were paid to use it. The Dr. who was associated with the trial got hooked and started having these drug parties it was very interesting.

I know many people that use marijuana for example and I have not seen any side effects worse than smoking regular cigarettes which are legal. Infact some of the benefits out weigh any harmful side effects which is why so many cancer patients especially use it. I think marijuana should be legalized and in my opinion if the gov was smart they would tax it just like they do cigarettes and then they would be able to monitor it better like tobacco as well.

"But with many drugs, even ones that are currently legal, what is deemed "harmful" is a big grey area. The list of side effects from some legal drugs can be quite a bit longer and more serious than some drugs that are currently illegal."

But those legal drugs also require a doctor's prescription, which also means there is some sort of monitoring of the administration of the drugs.

Hypno, I have seen several of the History of Drugs series. It is REALLY eye opening! That is actually where I found out that the main component in Meth had 3 sources.

Agreed, UnDave, but if you made some illegal drugs legal, they would have the potential to be monitored as well.

What drugs should be legalized? Are you saying that a person would have to waste a physician's time, so that he could write a prescription for every tom dick and harry that wants to get high?

I think marijuana should be the only other drug legalized. I think it could be as easily monitored as tobacco and alcohol. I don't think there needs to be a prescription involved.

Having never smoked marijuana, I can't speak accurately about the effects. Would someone care to educate me?

It helps a lot with nausea. That's one reason why chemo patients tend to smoke it. It's also a good pain reliever. My husband who has lupus, has a lot of pain in his joints from it will occasionally smoke to ease pain without all the chemicals of pill pain relievers. I had a friend who did because of his chrone's disease which meant he had to take steroids. The steroids made him mean and the weed mellowed him out to make him bearable to other people. The only "bad" side effects I have seen are memory issues and if it's smoked can have the same lung/throat issues as with smoking cigarettes. But it can also be taken as an edible meaning cooked into food and lessens the risk of any throat/lung problems. But I'm no doctor or expert I'm just saying what I've seen and experienced. As for how I've felt myself after using it I've never been more impaired than drinking a glass of wine so it's not that extreme. I've also never seen the addiction extremes like with cocaine which my ex was addicted to.

Ok well I have to go try and get my mortgage rates lowered, cross your fingers for me. Have a great weekend everybody!

I know some people that smoke MJ at night to help them sleep, and it is far less harmful than very addictive sleeping pills that are legal and plentiful.

I think that "recreational drugs" like MJ, opium, mushrooms, should be legalized. These drugs have way different attributes to them than coke, heroin, and meth.

"But it can also be taken as an edible meaning cooked into food and lessens the risk of any throat/lung problems."

Exactly...which takes the risks down to nearly nothing. And yet the government still says that you can take Oxy Contin or asthma medication that can cause "sudden asthmatic death", but you go to jail if you make some special brownies!

I bet that some of these Irani officials are related to drug addicts and that is why they are "lenient" and have more wisdom in their policy.

Oh Jill, is there nothing we don't agree on? I'm hosting an Obama house party on Saturday morning. Wish me luck!

Take pictures and share (if you can) nicachica! Good luck

ugh why do countries consistently blame us for their drug issues? the president of mexico blamed their violent drug cartels on americans and their "drug appetites" and now iran says that we are to blame for their drug problems. and while i dont agree with our current policies, could it be that the flip side isnt any better and thats why irans drug use is so high?

I think that "recreational drugs" like MJ, opium, mushrooms, should be legalized. These drugs have way different attributes to them than coke, heroin, and meth

i wholeheartedly agree jillness

I'm not down with blaming the US for their drug use, but it just further makes me angry about our own drug policy. We'd rather spend taxpayer money locking up someone who did coke twice for 5 years than funding treatment centers. Our drug policy seriously makes no sense. I think it should be illegal to sell coke, heroin and meth because those drugs are seriously awful, but penalizing those who suffer from addiction is just a strain on our budget and doesn't help anyone. I would think conservatives least of all would want to spend their cash to put a coke addict in prison for five years!

My boyfriend's little brother, at 18, just got arrested for buying coke, which is an automatic felony in NYS, and has a minimum sentence of 1 year in jail for first time offenders. He has never had any previous arrests or drug problems, and is set to start school at the local university in the fall. I'm not excusing his idiotic behavior, he is responsible for his actions, but it does make me mad that the stupid decision of an 18 years old will pretty much ruin his life. I also think it's unfair that NYS has such harsh drug laws compared to the rest of the US, and, oh yeah, IRAN. Wtf.

snowbunny - my response to your boyfriend's little brother is WTF?! Why were you trying to buy something illegal? He is lucky that he got caught so soon. I don't think this will ruin his life, unless he just sees this as a punishment, and not a wake-up call that it's time to be an adult.

Go to college or go to jail. It would be cheaper for society, our jails don't need an 18 year old first offender.

But how many 18yo's who are in jail qualify for college? I agree that we don't need to crowd our jails and prisons with first time offenders who are 18, but don't dumb down the colleges with kids who aren't smart enough to know how to say "no thanks"