Mostafa Mohammadpour, head of the Welfare Administration in Kashmar, reported a growing prevalence of a substance known as “Nas” (a smokeless tobacco product) among students, including those in upper primary school, warning of how easily children can access it.
According to a report by ILNA, Mohammadpour stated that while Nas consumption typically begins in lower secondary school, cases have also been observed among students in upper primary school.
He explained that selling Nas is not classified as a crime in Iran, nor is the substance categorized as an illicit drug. As a result, it is sold openly in grocery stores, giving students easy access to it.
The head of Kashmar’s Welfare Administration noted that Nas use serves as a gateway to drug addiction for children and adolescents. He added that grocery stores located near schools in the city have been instructed to refrain from selling Nas and similar products.
Mohammadpour further stated that access to Nas is not limited to Razavi Khorasan Province, noting that the substance is easily obtainable across most provinces in Iran.
