DaysofPal- Nearly one in four Israelis now engages in harmful substance use, reflecting the growing psychological toll of Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its broader military campaigns across the Middle East, Haaretz reported, citing new research.
The findings, published by the Israeli Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, show a sharp rise in substance misuse since October 2023, when Israel launched its offensive on the Gaza Strip.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, harmful substance use affected roughly one in ten Israelis. That figure increased to one in seven during the pandemic and has now reached approximately 25 percent since the start of the Gaza war.
The study found that the use of sedatives has increased by two and a half times, while consumption of opioids and stimulants has nearly doubled. Alcohol and cannabis use have also risen significantly.
Among Israelis diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the rate of harmful substance use has climbed to 54.2 percent, highlighting the severe mental health impact of the ongoing conflict.
Professor Shauli Lev-Ran, founder of the Israeli Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, told Haaretz that repeated national crises have reinforced patterns of substance use developed during periods of intense stress.
“The more stress there is, the more people use,” he said, warning that these habits often persist even after immediate threats subside.
From Prescription Pills to Nightlife Drugs
People interviewed for the report described ketamine, cocaine, amphetamines, cannabis, and prescription sedatives as becoming common coping mechanisms during missile alerts, funerals, military call-ups, and the constant stream of reports about deaths and violence.
One interviewee said his drug use intensified as Israel’s military operations expanded, explaining that drugs helped distance him from “all the blood and death.” Another recalled people taking amphetamines during funerals after October 2023. Others said they used ketamine before entering bomb shelters or relied on stimulants to stay productive at work despite anxiety and chronic sleep deprivation.
The report found that drug use has spread far beyond nightlife, with interviewees describing open consumption in homes, workplaces, bars, and public bomb shelters. The widespread use of encrypted messaging applications and digital payment services has also made illegal substances easier to obtain.
Dr. Roy Zucker, a physician specializing in harm reduction, said more than 80 percent of drug-related emergency cases involve multiple substances rather than a single drug.
Palestinian citizens of Israel have also reported increasing drug use while coping with the destruction in Gaza and growing political repression inside Israel. One Palestinian interviewee said many people “fell apart” after witnessing the mass killing of Palestinians in Gaza, with some turning to drugs because mental health care remained inaccessible or unaffordable.
Lev-Ran warned that Israel’s continuing wars and prolonged state of emergency are likely to deepen the addiction crisis. He said many people struggle to return to normal life before another military operation, mobilization, or attack begins, leaving them trapped in a cycle of chronic stress and substance dependence.
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