Saturday 20/Sep/2025 – 02:34 PM
The British Financial Times said that Iran intends to legally start opium cultivation for its medical use, after the Taliban campaign in Afghanistan in 2022 caused a reduction in opium supply.
Opion transplantation
The report stated that the Iranian companies producing morphine and other opiates were previously dependent on the smuggled Afghan drugs, but the supplies decreased from 750 tons in 2021 to about 200 tons in 2024.
The Iranian Food and Drug Authority warned that the continued deficiency of supplies may endanger public health.
President Masoud Bazakin agreed to the initiative, noting the difficulty of importing due to international sanctions and the importance of sustainable local production.
Iran is seeking permission from the United Nations Opium Agricultural Drug Control Council for medical purposes.
The report pointed out that the rise in opium prices pushes addicts with low incomes to resort to the cheapest artificial drug, which raises concern about the outbreak of addiction.
