NEW YORK — The revelation that the number of opium-addicted Afghan children has reached new highs is a tragic unintended consequence of that war. It dramatically illustrates how adult war games doom generations of children to a miserable life.
A group of researchers hired by the U.S. State Department found staggering levels of opium in Afghan children, some as young as 14 months old, who had been passively exposed by adult drug users in their homes.
In 25 percent of homes where adult addicts lived, the children tested showed signs of significant drug exposure, according to the researchers. According to one researcher, the children exhibit typical behavior of opium and heroin addicts. If the drug is withdrawn, they go through a withdrawal process.