MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Rıha - The increasing rate of drug use and the decrease in the age of drug use in the Kurdish region in recent years cause families to worry about their children. Drug use, which has increased in the region particularly after 2015, has become the main problem in cities such as Urfa, Mardin, Şırnak, and Diyarbakır. The age of drug use in Urfa has decreased to 11, according to a survey conducted in the city in 2021. In December, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Urfa MP Ayşe Sürücü demanded an inquiry commission be formed in order to investigate the reasons for the increasing drug use in the city.

50 bed capacity in the city with a population of over 2 million residents

In 2020, the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Research, Treatment and Education Center (AMATEM) and the Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Center (ÇEMATEM) were established in the city. The bed capacity of the centers in the city with a population of over two million residents is only 50.

Her two sons drifted into drugs

Families are worried about their children in the city, where drugs are allegedly sold for 40 Turkish liras on the streets. Stating that her two sons are drug addicts and one of them is in prison for using drugs, Aysel Özkan said that the drug dealers walk free in the city. Underlining that she has received psychological support since she learned that both of her sons have used drugs, Aysel Özkan said that she and her sons have gone through difficult times.

“No legal action has been taken against the drug dealers”

Aysel Özkan told us that although her son gave the names and addresses of those who sold the drugs to him after being detained, no legal action has been taken against the drug dealers. “I asked my son from whom he bought drugs. He told me he bought from a specialist sergeant in Suruç. Then, my son was detained because police found drugs on him. Although he gave the names and addresses of those who sold the drugs to him, no legal action has been taken against them. They (police) don’t detain the drug dealers but the drug users. The state is responsible for the spread of drug use. If they (police) wanted, they could stop the spread of the drug use.”

“I don’t know what I should do for my sons”

Stating that there are drug dealers everywhere in the city, Aysel Özkan said, “The state should stop them. Families and young people have suffered from them. I don’t know what I should do for my sons. One of my sons is held in prison now but he will use drugs again when he is released. The drug dealers must be arrested to save our children.”