KHUJAND, April 19, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- As of March 31, 2010, 1,001 drug-dependent were officially registered in Sughd province, which is 272 people fewer than of the same date of last year, Said Rahimov, the deputy chief of the Sughd counternarcotics directorate, announced at a news conference in Khujand on April 17.

As of March 31, 2009, 1,273 drug-dependent people were officially registered in the province.  Rahimov attributed decrease in the number of drug-dependent people in the area to organization of a number of efficient events aimed at reducing drug abuse among the population and combating illicit drug trafficking.

According to him, the number of injecting drug users (IDUs) has decreased in the province from 1,002 to 996.  The number drug users aged 18 to 30 fell 14 percent in the year to March 31, 2001 – from 476 to 414, Rahimov added.