According to the United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC) estimates, 40 percent of the drugs (heroin & charas/cannabis) produced in Afghanistan are routed through Pakistan.  This generates a considerable opiate supply for export but also domestic use.  The use of illicit drugs and the non-medical use of prescription drugs is an established and widely recognized phenomenon in the country.  6.7 million people of the total population of Pakistan used controlled substances, which also include the misuse of prescription drugs (UNODC Report, 2013).  Around 4.25 million drug users are considered dependent on substances and need evidence-based treatment initiatives for their drug use disorder (UNODC Report, 2013).  An estimated 860,000 people are heroin users and 320,000 are opium users. Combined, 1.06 million people (aged 15-64) are using opiates. 

According to the report of UNODC 2012, Balochistan province had the highest prevalence of opiate use nationally, particularly for opium.  While in most other areas opiate users were more likely to use heroin, in Balochistan they were equal in prevalence, with 1.0 percent using opium compared to 1.1 percent using heroin (UNODC 2012).  Also, 0.2 percent or around 13,000 people took methamphetamine in Balochistan in the last year, being 70 percent of national use although they make up only 5 percent of the country’s population (UNODC 2012).  Tranquilizer and sedative misuse is also considerable compared to other provinces, with 1.8 percent of the population, or 100,000 people, using these substances.  The prevalence of people who inject drugs is 0.3 percent of the population, with an estimated 17, 000 injectors in the province.  Besides, 1.5 percent of the total population of the country, or 1.6 million people, reported the non-medical use of prescription opioids (painkillers) in 2012.  The issue of non-medical use of prescription drugs has always been a challenge for health administrators.  The underlying fact is that a large network of unregulated pharmacies and medical stores throughout the country that distribute and sell medicines, including controlled medicines, will usually sell them without a prescription from a medical practitioner. 

Given this emerging trend in Pakistan, and in Balochistan specifically, there is a significant need to give special attention to, and take all practicable measures for, the prevention of the illicit use of drugs including the non-medical use of prescription drugs and for the early identification, treatment, and education, of the persons involved. Therefore, FBRC is committed to promoting evidence-based drug prevention approaches in the country and its focus is to establishing scientifically-based prevention initiatives known as “Anti-Drug Community Coalition” throughout the country to support the counter-narcotics goals of the government of Pakistan.