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In Armenia, a total of 6,010 individuals are registered in narcological dispensaries for assistance as of April 1, 2017, deputy head of the Republican Narcological Center under the Ministry of Healthcare Asya Muradyan told a press conference on Monday, adding the number includes 2,343 opioid users, 3,665 cannabis and 2 cocaine users.

Muradyan pointed out the number of 16-17-year-old drug addicts has increased over the past year.

“There are 3 16-year-old patients, 91 – 18-year-old, and 557 patients are aged 19-27. The bulk pf the drug addicts is 28-49 years old with 3,806 registered individuals. There are some 60 individuals over 65 registered as well. Moreover, there drug usage cases involving women have also increased with registered 3 cannabis users among 17-18 aged women, and 11 – in the 29-year-old age group,” Muradyan said.

The chief state narcologist of Armenia Petros Semerjian, in turn, said that he ministry of healthcare cares for the treatment costs of the registered patients, for the both treatment approaches - voluntary and compulsory.

“The daily cost of every patient comprises 9,900 AMD (around 20 USD). The number of registered drug users is on rise this year. The number has been consistently rising over the course of the past seven years overall by 10 percent,” Semerjian said.

To note, June 26 is the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.