Jordan's Addiction Crisis: 16% of Jordanian Students Suffer From Severe Drug Addiction

Dangerous drugs being abused include cocaine, ecstasy, and sedatives.

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(AMMAN) - Addressing Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, 18 Jordanian MPs called for immediate measures to reduce Jordan’s staggering crisis of alcohol and drug abuse among young students.

A field survey carried out recently among 37,000 University of Jordan students, revealed that 16% of participants are dangerously addicted to narcotics.

Parliament members are being urged to make a passionate plea to government officials to re-examine policies, cooperate with civil society organizations and ultimately curb the drug abuse epidemic on school and university campuses in this Arab nation of nine million.

As the Jordanian National Centre for Human Rights (JNCHR) issues a fearsome report on increasing drug-related cases, the Jordanian media warned also about the snowball effect of drug addiction, which particularly endangers school students.

A shocking study disclosed how the consumption of cocaine, ecstasy, sedatives and marijuana have become rife among female students. No comment about alcohol.

Jordanian civil rights activists blame the lack of hope in society and government as the root cause of turning to drugs among Jordanian youth.

Widespread economic corruption, nepotism, ethnic discrimination, increasing unemployment and career immigration, put big question marks on the effectiveness of Jordan's higher education system and other state agencies.

According to opposition parties, the Jordanian government must shoulder grave responsibilities as the country encounters this alarming phenomenon of juvenile drug abuse.