Introduction:
Drugs are chemical or plant-based substances that affect the central nervous system, causing changes in perception, mood, and behavior. They are classified into types such as stimulants (like cocaine), depressants (like heroin), and hallucinogens (like cannabis at times). Despite their differences, all drugs pose serious health and social threats, necessitating a deep understanding of their destructive effects.
The Danger to Individuals and Society:
The danger to individuals primarily lies in health risks, as drugs cause damage to vital organs such as the liver and heart and increase the risk of chronic diseases like cancer. They also weaken the immune system and lead to psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression.
Mentally, drugs impair cognitive functions such as memory and concentration and may cause psychosis or hallucinations in advanced cases.
One of the most severe dangers is addiction, as drug use alters brain chemistry, creating physical and psychological dependence that is difficult to overcome without specialized help. Ultimately, drug users lose family and work relationships and become socially isolated, fueling a cycle of self-destruction.
The danger to society manifests in increased crime rates, as drug addiction is linked to theft and violence to finance drug use, threatening public security.
Additionally, there is an economic burden, as governments spend billions of dollars on healthcare, rehabilitation programs, and anti-trafficking efforts.
Another societal risk is family disintegration; studies show that addiction leads to higher divorce rates and child neglect, raising concerns about a generation vulnerable to homelessness or delinquency.
Finally, drug trafficking threatens national security, as its revenues are often used to fund terrorist groups and global mafias.
The Reality of Drugs in Syria:
The recent war has turned the country—due to Assad’s policies—into a hub for drug proliferation, particularly Captagon, which has become a primary funding source for militias and the Syrian regime, according to international reports.
The factors fueling this crisis include:
- Economic Collapse: With the Syrian pound losing 90% of its value, some civilians have turned to drug smuggling as a means of survival.
- Lack of Security Oversight: Various factions control different areas, facilitating the establishment of Captagon production labs, especially in the coastal provinces and Sweida before liberation.
- Regional Role: Syria serves as a transit route for smuggling Captagon to the Gulf and Europe through Lebanon and Jordan, as reported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in 2022.
The value of Syria’s Captagon exports reached $5.7 billion in 2021, according to a study published in the academic journal JSP. Additionally, the Syrian Network for Human Rights indicated that 30% of youth in regime-controlled areas use drugs due to unemployment and poverty. In 2023, Jordan seized 85 million Captagon pills coming from Syria, a record number exposing the scale of the disaster.
Drugs pose an existential threat to individuals and society. In Syria, the crisis has become part of the war’s fallout, draining resources and creating a lost generation. Combating this scourge requires comprehensive strategies that address root causes such as poverty and conflict, alongside strengthening awareness and community rehabilitation.
Addressing the Drug Crisis in Syria: Between Combating Production and Community Rehabilitation
The drug crisis in Syria is not an isolated phenomenon but a cumulative result of years of conflict, economic collapse, and social disintegration.
To effectively tackle this issue, the new Syrian administration must implement a comprehensive strategy that includes cracking down on drug manufacturing and smuggling, strengthening regional and international cooperation, and rehabilitating addicts to restore social cohesion. This requires well-planned steps:
First: Combating Drug Production and Smuggling
This involves strengthening internal security surveillance in Syria and dismantling secret drug labs through intensive security operations targeting Captagon production centers in high-risk areas (such as rural Damascus and the coastal region). These efforts should be supported by modern intelligence technologies like thermal imaging and aerial surveillance.
Additionally, strict accountability mechanisms should be enforced against officials involved in covering up smuggling networks. This includes forming independent investigative committees in partnership with international organizations and setting up advanced checkpoints along borders with Lebanon and Jordan. Security forces must also receive specialized training to detect sophisticated smuggling methods, such as hiding pills inside agricultural shipments.
Second: Regional and International Cooperation
A joint regional task force should be established in partnership with neighboring countries (Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq) to exchange intelligence and coordinate cross-border operations. A precedent for this was “Operation Eagles” in 2023, a Jordanian-Syrian mission that resulted in the seizure of 14 tons of Captagon. However, due to warlords within the previous regime, the operation’s long-term effectiveness was compromised.
Further efforts should focus on cutting off financial resources by tracking suspicious money transfers through banks in neighboring countries, in collaboration with the International Organization for Anti-Money Laundering. Additionally, political pressure must be applied, such as imposing international sanctions on entities and individuals involved in the drug trade, as recommended by the United Nations Security Council expert panel in its 2023 report.
Third: Using Technology and Economic Alternatives
In simple terms: smart surveillance. This includes deploying drones and AI-based monitoring programs to track suspicious truck movements in remote areas. At the same time, developmental projects should be introduced to provide financial and professional support to rural communities reliant on cultivating drug-related crops. For example, initiatives could convert wheat farming into a profitable alternative, offering sustainable income sources.
Rehabilitating Addicts and Reintegration into Society
Building a healthcare infrastructure for detoxification is a crucial first step. Specialized clinics staffed with psychiatrists and addiction specialists should be established, supported by organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO).
Additionally, mobile units should be deployed to reach remote and underserved areas, offering rapid testing and initial consultations.
Public awareness and psychological support programs are also essential. Intensive media campaigns should be launched using social media and local radio stations to educate young people about the dangers of addiction. Testimonies from former drug users should be featured to share real-life experiences. Equally important is training families to recognize early signs of addiction through workshops in collaboration with local organizations like the Syrian Mental Health Association.
Economic and Social Reintegration
Recovery begins with vocational rehabilitation. Former addicts should be empowered to regain financial independence by learning skilled trades such as carpentry and agriculture, with support from World Bank-funded small business programs.
Additionally, tackling social stigma is critical. Religious and educational institutions should promote supportive discourse for recovering addicts, while media outlets should highlight success stories to encourage social acceptance and reintegration.
Challenges and the Need for a Comprehensive Solution
Despite the importance of these measures, significant obstacles remain, such as:
- Ongoing political conflicts that hinder the delivery of aid.
- Insufficient funding allocated to rehabilitation programs compared to anti-smuggling budgets.
- Societal stigma, where addicts are viewed as “delinquents” rather than patients in need of treatment.
Therefore, anti-drug efforts must be tied to a comprehensive political solution in Syria—one that rebuilds institutions and restores stability, as emphasized in reports by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).
Conclusion:
Conclusion: A Roadmap to Overcome the Drug Crisis in Syria
Addressing the drug crisis in Syria is a complex challenge, but not an impossible one. Combining proactive security measures with community recovery efforts will prevent the country from becoming a failed state controlled by drug cartels.
While success requires time, international will, and belief in the resilience of the Syrian people, the crisis has evolved into a parallel economy that funds conflicts and worsens humanitarian conditions. Drugs have become a weapon that destroys individuals and societies alike. Tackling this issue demands a comprehensive vision that addresses its root causes—poverty, conflict, and institutional collapse. Just as war turned Syria into a hub for Captagon production and trafficking, it is possible to transform the country into a model of recovery through joint local and international efforts.
Success in this battle is not an option—it is a necessity to save an entire generation from addiction and rebuild a society capable of standing on its feet once again.
Recommendations from the Scientific Office of the Syrian Future Movement:
1. Actions for the New Syrian Administration
- Strengthen security operations against remnants of the former regime involved in drug production and trafficking.
- Dismantle secret drug labs and intensify border controls using advanced technologies like thermal imaging and drone surveillance.
- Hold traffickers accountable by establishing independent oversight bodies with UN support.
- Promote economic alternatives by funding development projects in rural areas, shifting from drug-related agriculture to profitable crops.
- Establish addiction treatment centers by investing in a healthcare infrastructure that supports rehabilitation, in partnership with organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO).
2. Role of the International Community
- Ensure political stability in Syria to create a secure environment for tackling the illegal drug economy.
- Disrupt drug financing by imposing financial sanctions on individuals and entities involved in the trade and tracking illicit money flows.
- Support local organizations through funding awareness campaigns and addiction treatment programs implemented by Syrian NGOs.
- Provide technical assistance to enhance border security and anti-smuggling operations.
- Strengthen regional cooperation by establishing joint monitoring and intelligence-sharing mechanisms with neighboring countries (Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq).
3. Role of Syrian Society
- Launch awareness campaigns using places of worship, schools, and social media to educate the public about the dangers of addiction.
- Engage recovered addicts in sharing their personal experiences to deter others from drug use.
- Support affected families by creating community networks that offer psychological and financial assistance to families of addicts.
- Fight social stigma by encouraging reintegration of rehabilitated individuals through media campaigns highlighting their success stories.
- Create youth centers that provide educational and recreational activities to prevent young people from falling into drug abuse due to boredom and lack of opportunities.
By taking these steps, Syria can move towards a future free from the grip of narcotics and rebuild a society that is stronger and more resilient.
Scientific Office
Research Team
Research and Studies Department
Studies
Syrian Future Movement
References:
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). (2023). Synthetic Drugs In the Middle East: Trends and Challenges.
World Health Organization (WHO). (2022). Mental Health and Substance Abuse in Conflict Zones.
U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP). (2023). Syria’s Drug Crisis: Pathways to Recovery.
Syrian Association for Mental Health. (2023). Community-Based Approaches to Addiction Treatment.
Reuters. (2023). Captagon Trade and Regional Security in the Middle East.
Jordanian Anti-Narcotics Department. (2023). Annual Report on Cross-Border Drug Seizures.
Syrian Association for Mental Health. (2023). *Awareness Programs for Families
