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Experts and media against narcotics

with Dr Alexander Kanchelov, a psychiatrist

What is the real situation of the use of narcotics at the moment?

Compared to the rest of the world, the situation in Bulgaria is quite different. In Europe and America they have been having problems with narcotics addicts for many years now. They also have many programs for reduction of the use- this is something we in Bulgaria haven't achieved at all. The reasons are not only economical and political, but also the fact that narcotics came in Bulgaria too quickly after 1989.

The amount of the people using narcotics is now 50 times bigger than what it was in 1990. They are already more than 100 000. Of them about 25-30% are addicted to heroin. More than 70% smoke "grass". The users, dependent on heroin inject the drug and this leads, of course, to a big risk of hepatitus and AIDS. About 75% of the heroin addicts have the virus of hepatitus B and C. In the last year already in the capital one drug addict dies daily. And finally, about 20% of the students have tried at least once.

What is the age,when children in Bulgaria first use narcotics?

Homeless children inhale glue yet when they are 6. And heroin- I have seen 11- or 12-year-old children useing it. They just go to the bigger and buy joint or heroin, whatever they can. The places, where the narcotics are sold have changed over the last 5 years - then these were only three or four, but now you can find drugs almost everywhere.

What makes young people use narcotics?

Curiousity, fashion, pressure by the group, the need to be like somebody else. If in a school there are a few unruly children, they become a kind of "unformal leaders" and the others always try to be like them. So, if you mean the first use- this happens most often at parties. They take the drugs from friends and in a special situation. There are no more sellers trying to make every child try their drug. The most important now is fashion, curiousity, imitation.

Which is the most dangerous narcotic?

Here, in Bulgaria, the problem is heroin. Marijuana is also going to be a problem, because more and more people will use it.

Why do you think so?

Very soon much more marijuana will be imported in the country and its use will become just normal.

"Obshtestveno Vazpitanie", 3/2000