Hossein Dezhakam, the Base and theorist of the Congress 60’s exclusive interview with ADNA News Agencys
Congress 60 supports the legal cultivation of opium poppies; France also grows them—does it mean that all French are addict?!
The Base and theorist of the Congress 60 Human Revival Association, Mr. Hossein Dezhakam, while praising the efforts of the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters and the Ministry of Health regarding the restoration of licenses for the legal cultivation of opium poppies, described the critics’ views as rooted in “fear” and pointed to France’s experience in this area.
According to the Addiction News Agency (ADNA), several months have passed since the statement by Dr. Peze
shkian’s [the president of Iran] and the Secretary-General of the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters regarding a decline in drug seizures in the country, while Hossein Zolfaghari, Secretary-General of the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters, also referred to a decrease in the purity of these substances and how this impurity has ultimately affected the country’s supply of essential opioid-based medicines.
Although this official recently stated that the claim about legalizing poppy cultivation is untrue, and that the only approved decision is to cultivate the “Papaver Bracteatum” variety— which cannot be harvested by farmers and can only be processed industrially to produce certain medicinal derivatives— experts still believe this decision cannot satisfy the country’s needs. The necessity for legal poppy cultivation and the restoration of its international permits is felt more strongly than ever.
Serious Consequences of Not Cultivating Opium Poppies
In this regard, Hossein Dezhakam, the Base and theorist of the Congress 60 Human Revival Association, said in an exclusive interview with ADNA’s reporter: “Through the programs of this organization across the country, more than 13,000 people are currently undergoing treatment and regaining full recovery, while part of their treatment period involves the use of medications derived from opium-based plants (opium tincture). A reduction in the availability of these medications will undoubtedly have serious consequences for Congress 60 members undergoing addiction cure.”
He continued: “Cutting or reducing the allocation of Opium Tincture to treatment centers and clinics leads to frustration among patients in recovery and creates conditions that push them toward smuggled opium, methamphetamine, heroin, and other narcotics. Therefore, from the perspective of supporting the treatment of such patients, it is necessary for national policies and programs to move toward poppy cultivation and opium extraction.”
The Base and theorist of the Congress 60 Human Revival Association then pointed out that, according to reports, the stock of opium required by factories to produce pharmaceutical medicines and medications is running out. He stressed: “Not cultivating poppies (opium) in the country is a serious problem. Some experts oppose cultivating poppies based on the assumption that cultivation will lead to increased misuse. But such experts are not well-versed in the field of addiction and its consequences.”
* “Horned” and “Hornless” Addicts; Their Relation to Legal Cultivation
He continued: “Addicts can be categorized into two groups based on risky behaviors: ‘horned’ and ‘hornless.’ Addicts who use stimulant drugs such as methamphetamine fall into the first group of horned addicts—they create danger and trouble for others. Users of cannabis and hashish also experience hallucinations, and even heroin users, due to the problems they develop, are included in the first group too. But some drugs, like opium, because of the long-lasting nature of their intoxication, place the user in the second group, [the hornless group which makes no dangerous behaviors].”
Dezhakam noted: “Medications derived from opium also have this long-lasting effect, so the individual does not engage in high-risk behaviors such as breaking windows, knife attacks, fights, and so on. Therefore, treatment based on these medications is justifiable from a harm-reduction perspective.”
The Base and theorist of Congress 60 added that several years ago, the then-Secretary-General of the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters expressed satisfaction in a report stating that opium had become scarce. “At that time, I told him shortage of opium should not be a cause for happiness and satisfaction, because scarcity pushes users toward far more dangerous substances such as methamphetamine!” he said.
* Helping Recovering Individuals with Opium-Derived Medications
Dezhakam, noting that treatment with opium-derived medications enables individuals to return to normal life and work, referred to the experience of several countries in the legal cultivation of poppies. He said: “Some may not know this, but France, Australia, India, Turkey, the Netherlands, and Hungary all have legal poppy cultivation—with proper oversight.”
The Base and theorist of the Congress 60 Human Revival Association emphasized: “Poppy cultivation and opium production are not only for users, as some fear it will promote addiction in the country. Poppy cultivation is closely related to the production of medicines. We are now facing the risk of shortages of pethidine and morphine. These medical drugs cannot be produced through the cultivation of Papaver Bracteatum. And I do not mean obtaining a license for cultivating that plant—actual opium poppies must be grown and produced in the country.”
x
He added: “We should not be worried merely because a harmful substance exists in the country. Cigarettes are available, yet not everyone uses them. We must not overlook the question: how long are we going to pay [that much] money for importing opium or spend our energy on fighting and resisting smuggling, losing lives in the process? If we move toward cultivation, our need for various medications will be met.”
* The Strategic Importance of Opium-Derived Medicines
Dezhakam then added: “The world’s best-selling medication is codeine, and up to three percent of it comes from opium. Therefore, its cultivation and production have strategic significance. Whenever this plant and its medicinal derivatives are removed from the medical system, the country will face serious problems.”
He further continued: “If instead of consulting experts who complain about legal poppy cultivation, we ask addiction-treatment specialists working in centers and clinics—those directly engaged in the field—they will clearly say that opium tincture (opium syrup) is an essential need.”
In response to the question of what changes Congress 60 would make to its treatment programs if the day ever came when opioid-based medications were cut off in the country, he replied: “I hope we never see such a day. Even if quotas may be reduced, I believe the country has enough rational and capable individuals to prevent such a situation. But assuming it does happen, many individuals will return to smuggled drugs, and their lives will be affected.”
* Only Opium Tincture Leads to Full Recovery
Dezhakam said: “Methadone and buprenorphine do not meet the needs of the treatment sector. Only with opium can all opioid-based medicinal derivatives be obtained, and at Congress 60, we achieve full recovery solely with opium tincture. Individuals do not use it for pleasure; they enter the treatment program for a 10-month process based on the gradual reduction of medication.”
In another part of his remarks, this addiction expert said: “Although efforts are underway in the country to cultivate the Papaver Bracteatum, which I believe has fewer international restrictions, our country had a license for poppy cultivation before the revolution, and I do not know what happened to it. But we must recognize that opium-derived medicines have strategic importance.”
* A Safe Full of Gold and Opium in the United States!
Referring to America’s gold reserves stored alongside various poppy seeds at a military base known as Fort Knox, he added: “Information about this base in the state of Kentucky was released in 1995, showing that a large portion of the U.S. gold reserves and even important national documents—such as the Declaration of Independence—were kept in its vaults. Interestingly, thousands of tons of opium were also stored there as a strategic pharmaceutical reserve, along with various poppy seeds and a DNA bank of poppy species. This demonstrates the importance of this plant.”
Dezhakam concluded: “I hope a solution for legal poppy cultivation is found in the country. Without treatments based on these medications, patients will be harmed, whereas with these medications, a person can return to work and normal life—for example, they will be able to drive heavy vehicles, operate heavy machinery in factories, and thousands of other jobs. Without these medications, they would return to and use methamphetamine and dangerous drugs instead; therefore, such stability in their job would be impossible. Even methadone leaves individuals in a dazed, foggy state that prevents them from properly doing their jobs.”
Mr. Dezhakam emphasized: “Experts’ opposition towards legal poppy cultivation stems from their fear. But we must accept that every rose has its thorn. Something may have 90 advantages and only 10 disadvantages, yet we should not deprive ourselves of it because of a few negatives. We must broaden our perspective and adopt a comprehensive view regarding poppy cultivation.”
https://congress60.org/News/467954/%DA%A9%D9%86%DA%AF%D8%B1%D9%87-60-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D8%AA-%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%AE%D8%B4%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%B4-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D9%85%DB%8C%E2%80%8C%DA%A9%D9%86%D8%AF-%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%87-%D9%87%D9%85-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D8%AA-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D9%85%DA%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A2%D9%86%D8%AC%D8%A7-%D9%87%D9%85%D9%87-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%AF
Interview by: Mohammad Firouzi
Translated by Elahe