Increasing drug addiction in drug producing countries

Opium production is carried on in the Golden Triangle (border area of Burma, Laos and Thailand), in the Golden Crescent (parts of Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan), Turkey and Mexico. The difficulties in trafficking opium help account for the extremely high use of the drug in territories and lands adjacent to the poppy-growing areas.

Pakistan is deeply involved in the supply and transport of heroin. In 1980, heroin addiction was almost unknown. In 1995 there were over one million addicts.