Despite successes, drug challenges remain for Turkey

ISTANBUL

As a new UN report released today claims drug use worldwide remains stable, experts speaking to Anadolu Agency say that such abuse is relatively invisible in central Istanbul due to “moral” pressure in Turkish society.

However, despite the Turkish authorities’ success in seizing increasing amounts of illegal drugs, officials remain concerned about the country’s role as a trafficking ‘transit point’.

June 26 is the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2015 World Drug Report released on Friday says a total of 246 million people – slightly over 5 per cent of those aged 15 to 64 years worldwide – used an illegal drug in 2013.

The report goes on to claim that: “Some 27 million people are problem drug users, almost half of whom are people who inject drugs.”

Speaking at the report launch in Istanbul on Friday was Nevzat Tarhan, rector of Uskudar University. Tarhan claimed that although usage had not changed, the shape of drug abuse had moved from hard drugs like heroin and cocaine to synthetic substances, like ‘bonzai’ – an Istanbul street drug.

Saying that bonzai – a synthetic marijuana – is on an upward trend in Turkey, Tarhan said: "The harm of synthetic drugs such as bonzai are many times more than other drugs. It causes addicts to reject treatment or rehabilitation."

A 2014 Turkish Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction -- TUBIM -- report offered evidence that drug use is displaying an upward trend in Turkey as news reports also point to the use of synthetic substances being on the rise.

However, others have claimed that Turkish society responds differently to such issues.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency earlier this week was Sule Selman, a board member of the Woman Health Workers’ Education and Solidarity Foundation.

Istanbul – despite its enormous size and unlike some other major European cities – does not have a highly visible drug problem in its center.

Selman puts this down to "the belief system and moral structure" in Turkey.

"Unlike many European countries, Turkey and Turkish people disapprove of drug use on moral grounds. And this causes people to take drugs in hidden areas," Selman – also coordinator of a project called Gec Degil [Not Late] to fight drug abuse among teenagers – adds.

"The statistics show that to be treated badly by society or to be disapproved of, sets a protective factor for drug users and has a positive role," she says.

Stiff penalties for drug abuse may also explain the relative lack of open addiction in central Istanbul according to one Turkish psychiatrist.

Burhanettin Kaya, media coordinator of the Psychiatric Association of Turkey says: "Substance abuse is illicit in Turkey and convicted drug users face jail sentences from two to five years, with heavy fines."

"This is the main reason why people generally chose safe, private places like homes or abandoned or ruined buildings instead of public areas to take drugs."

Kaya adds that "to be tagged as a ‘drug user’" or "to be seen as a source of crime" also plays a role in addicts’ self-isolation.

"In Europe, governments generally ignore the situation, or sometimes even … provide them substances to prevent crime."

"Then they [addicts] do not need to hide themselves from the government or anything else," Kaya says.

According to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, the Turkish Penal Code enacted in 2005 does not criminalize consumption per se but imposes imprisonment of one to two years for those who buy, receive or possess drugs for personal use.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has pledged a stronger effort in the fight against drugs, including a blanket ban on underground intoxicants and chemical substances.

Back in October in 2014, Davutoglu explained his government's future attitude towards drug dealers as: "Those dealing drugs, including bonzai, will be treated like terrorists and the penalties will double if the crime is committed near schools."

Following Davutoglu's remarks, Turkish police launched countless operations across the country, particularly Istanbul.

Nevertheless, Turkey remains a transit country and sometimes a main destination for illegal drugs coming from Central Asia, Iran and Afghanistan.

Today’s UNODC report claimed methamphetamine and amphetamine peddling was a particular problem.

Uskudar University vice rector Sevil Atasoy said: "Besides the UNOCD report, both the International Narcotics Control Board and European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction reports show that Turkey is a transit country for illicit traffic between Afghanistan, Iran and Europe."

However, success have been made. Atasoy said heroin seizures had risen 15 tons in 2014, from under 10 ten tons three years earlier. Atasoy added that the amount of seized marijuana in Turkey increased to 94 tons from 27 tons in 2014.

Stating that the European Drug report showed that the biggest rate of cannabis arrests were made in Turkey in 2013 compared to European countries, Atasoy said: "We have also the biggest rate of synthetic seizures in Europe."

However, it seems that whatever moves Turkey makes, the flow of drugs merely changes, rather than stops. According to the UNODC report, besides Iran, Iraq is the new trade point for Europe through Turkey. 

"The cooperation between Turkey and Iran has pushed the drug smugglers to find a new route," Atasoy says.