From brown sugar to pills, Karnali faces a changing addiction problem

Sedatives, painkillers and other prescription medicines are being misused as intoxicants, exposing a new challenge for law enforcement and health workers.

The nature of drug abuse in Nepal’s remote Karnali province is changing. Substances traditionally associated with addiction, such as heroin, brown sugar, hashish and cannabis, are no longer the only concern for authorities. Increasingly, young people are misusing prescription medicines intended for treatment, turning easily available drugs into a new source of addiction.