Statement from 69th Anti-Narcotics Commission Meeting Cites Rise in Women's Drug Addiction in Afghanistan

A statement issued at the 69th meeting of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna on Tuesday, March 19, highlighted concerns over the drug crisis and women's addiction in Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover.

The statement noted that the Taliban's restrictions on women's education and employment are negatively impacting social resilience and anti-drug efforts. According to assessments by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the number of drug addicts in the country stands at approximately 3 to 3.6 million, with nearly 1 million being women.

The most commonly used substances include opium, heroin, hashish and sedatives, with women's addiction often affecting entire families, the statement said.

It also warned of widespread illegal extraction of natural resources, describing it as a factor contributing to environmental destruction and the exacerbation of people's suffering.

The CND statement urged the international community to avoid legitimizing the Taliban's performative actions and to ensure humanitarian aid reaches the Afghan people directly, without bolstering illegal or repressive structures.