Today, our society is poisoned with various substances of narcotics. The problem is so deep-rooted that every Maldivian family has at least one member who is an addict. UNICEF statistics show that the average age for first-time drug users is 12.
History was safe and free from this cancerous stigma. But today, beyond the waving palms, turquoise lagoons, and deep blue sea, lurks the horrible problem of youth drug addiction. Maldives has been a Moslem nation for generations. However, there have been periods when the use of certain narcotic substances occurred without any legal barriers. One of the most popular narcotic substances used in this regard was Afihun or opium.
The French navigator François Pyrard de Laval described what he witnessed in the Maldives: “Most of them eat opium, or, as they call it, ‘afihun,’ which intoxicates and stupefies them. Despite this, both men and women indulge in this vice without moderation, not to mention the other abominations they commit.
Afihun was used to achieve altered states of the mind by both men and women. It was widely used in the Maldives. It was used while chewing areca nut with betel leaf. People often used afihun while having this blend. Irrespective of the ranks or age, mudhims (imams), scholars, fishermen, men, women, young, and old used aifun, which was widespread among Maldivians.
Nowadays people mock at some “lost” youngsters in the world of narcotics on the road and in public places. During early days, people who used afihun were subjected to the same conditions as some youths who are addicted to today’s narcotics.
