The addicted village
Beg heats up a few grams of opium during an early morning smoke “I don’t have a life. I don’t have anything. It’s finished. Everything was spent on opium,” said Beg, whose family members are also addicted. Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP
Sarab village resident Raihan comforts her 1-year-old son after having an early morning opium smoke with family members. Raihan was addicted to opium while pregnant with her son making him an addict at birth. “When he was born, he would cry day and night. But when she blows smoke in his face, he sleeps,” said her father Islam Beg. Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP
Opium addict Jan Begum smokes opium. “This helps with my asthma,” said Begum who has no money or transportation to travel to a doctor or clinic. Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP
Beg offers his opium pipe to his grandson after having an early morning smoke. Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP
Women family members in the house of Islam Beg smoke opium together. Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP
Sarab village resident and opium addict Islam Beg. Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP
Jan Begum pauses between hits while smoking opium in her home. “I’ve been smoking opium for 18 years,” said Begum who sent her 14-year-old son out to work for the drug dealers to help pay for the narcotic. Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP
Bits of burnt opium are scattered on a metal board with a tea light candle and matches used to heat the narcotic for smoking. Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP
Beg puts on his shoes to go work in a potato field after having an early morning smoke. “I sold my land. I do daily labor for it. I sold my chickens and cows for it,” said Beg, whose family members are also addicted. Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP
Raihan scrubs the top of the oven as her mother and children watch after having an early morning opium smoke with family members. “I didn’t have breakfast. I can accept hunger, but not without opium,” said Raihan. Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP
Sarab villagers walk down a dirt path from one section of the village to the next. As the last village up a glacial river valley, travel on rough roads to far away clinics and doctors is difficult. “Opium is our doctor,” say resident addicts who use the narcotic to alleviate symptoms of illness. Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP
The morning sun lights up the village of Sarab, nestled in a narrow river valley at 8,000 feet above sea level. Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP