'46 lakh drug addicts in country'
Director General of the Directorate of Narcotics Control (DNC) Humayun Kabir yesterday said there are over 46 lakh drug addicts in the country and that heroin is the main drug of misuse.
Next to heroin, cannabis and Phensidyl are the drugs of choice for the drug addicts while Yaba is a 'fashion drug', he said at a press briefing on the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking to be observed today.
The DG quoted the figures from a report of Family Health International.
The drugs seized in the country amounts to only 10 percent of drugs smuggled into the country, he said, adding that some one lakh people are engaged in illegal drug trade and 30 percent of those arrested on charges of drug peddling are women and children.
Replying to a question, DG Humayun Kabir said a drug addict spends, on average, Tk 100 on drugs a day, which means over Tk 46 crore is spent on drugs daily.
Additional DG Yusuf Ali, Deputy Director Abu Taleb and other high officials were present at the press briefing.
The DNC officials said Dhaka is the main den for drug peddlers and abusers.
The DNC has arranged a weeklong programme from June 20 to 26 to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse.
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