FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 1, 2024
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PHOTOS: Treatment/rehab program for substance users in NW Syria (Azzaz Psychiatric Hospital)

MedGlobal Releases Groundbreaking Report on Syria’s Drug Epidemic and Mental Health Crisis

Doctors, experts who contributed to the report available for print and broadcast interviews

NORTHWEST SYRIA— To mark World Mental Health Month, leading humanitarian organization MedGlobal is releasing a first-of-its-kind report exposing the devastating impact of Syria’s drug epidemic and severe mental health crisis. The report, available for download here, reveals a staggering 300% increase in drug use among Syrians aged 18-29 since 2011. 

Based on a comprehensive survey of Syrians living in regime and opposition-held areas, and as refugees in neighboring countries, the study uncovers how a decade of war, poverty, and displacement has fueled this alarming rise. 

Syria has become a Narco-state and a major hub for drug production, with the industry estimated at $10 billion. The drug trade, involving government officials and regime allies like Hezbollah, serves as a crucial financial lifeline for the Syrian government and poses significant risks to regional and global stability.

MedGlobal’s report highlights the strong link between Syria’s drug epidemic, its profound mental health crisis and a collapsed healthcare system. Key survey findings enable a detailed breakdown of drug use prevalence and types of narcotics across different regions of Syria, revealing a troubling rise in drug use among Syrian women and children, alongside men.

Dr. Maya Bizri, a lead author, said:
“This report is the first of its kind to reveal the full extent of substance abuse in Syria. It’s not just combat fighters on Captagon— we now know that among the drug users are women and children as well as healthcare workers. People are selling these substances for their financial needs because there’s no other opportunities. It is a societal cancer.”

Dr. Zaher Sahloul, president of MedGlobal and a report contributor, added:
“Substance abuse in Syria is more than a security issue—it’s eroding society, fueling crime and forcing people to choose drugs over food. We are witnessing the disintegration of society. ” 

MedGlobal, on the ground in Syria since 2017, has been combating these challenges with targeted healthcare and rehabilitation programs focused on mental health and substance abuse recovery. The report calls for urgent action, recommending stronger awareness campaigns, expanded access to rehabilitation centers and stricter regulations on drug trafficking.

MedGlobal’s team of experts, who contributed to this report, are available for interviews:

• Dr. Zaher Sahloul: Syrian American humanitarian and president of MedGlobal who has led numerous high-impact medical missions to Syria. As a respected leader in global health and humanitarian relief, he can offer insights on MedGlobal’s drug rehabilitation efforts and the broader societal impacts of Syria’s drug crisis.
  
• Dr. Maya Bizri: Staff Psychiatrist at Cleveland Clinic and Assistant Professor at the American University of Beirut. She can speak about the mental health challenges for healthcare workers in Syria and the diverse profile of drug users, as highlighted in the report.

• Caroline Rose: Director of the Captagon Trade Project at the New Lines Institute and a recognized expert on Syria. She can discuss the geopolitical and national security implications of Syria’s drug trade.
  
• Diana Rayes: A first-generation Syrian American researcher at Georgetown University and chair of the Syria Public Health Network, specializing in refugee mental health. With nearly a decade of experience on Syria’s health crisis, she can offer insights into the link between forced displacement and the drug epidemic.

• Huda Taktak: MedGlobal Mental Health Coordinator. She can provide frontline insights into the challenges of delivering mental health care, psychosocial support, and drug rehabilitations in Syria, along with MedGlobal’s programs addressing these crises on the ground.
  

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MedGlobal is a humanitarian aid nonprofit organization that provides emergency response and health programs to build resilience among vulnerable communities around the world