One in four Israelis using hard drugs amid Gaza genocide and regional wars

middle east eye ^ | July 12,2026 | elis gjevori

[Morgana]

One in four Israelis now engages in harmful substance use as the psychological fallout from Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its expanding wars across the Middle East reshapes daily life, according to research cited by Haaretz.

The Israeli Centre for Addiction and Mental Health said substance misuse had risen sharply since October 2023, when Israel launched its war on Gaza following the Hamas-led attacks.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, the rate stood at one in 10 Israelis. It climbed to one in seven during the pandemic before reaching about 25 percent after October 2023.

The centre found that sedative use had increased by 2.5 times, while the consumption of opiates and stimulants had almost doubled. Alcohol and cannabis use had also risen.

Among people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, the rate of substance misuse now stands at 54.2 percent.

Prof Shauli Lev-Ran, the centre’s founder, told Haaretz that repeated crises had entrenched habits formed during periods of extreme pressure.

“The more stress there is, the more people use,” he said, warning that consumption often continues even after immediate stress levels fall.

Accounts from users describe ketamine, cocaine, amphetamines, cannabis and prescription sedatives becoming routine tools for enduring missile alerts, funerals, military mobilisation and constant reports of death.

One man said his drug use escalated as Israel’s wars expanded, describing substances as a way to distance himself from “all the blood and death”. Another said people had taken amphetamines during funerals after October 2023.

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TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: antisemitic; drug; drugs; fakenews; haaretz; jewhater; jewhatersonfr; junkie; propaganda

[Morgana]

Don't shoot the messenger.

I'm just wondering how long before they have cities like Portland and Seattle.

[UnwashedPeasant]

”Israel’s genocide in Gaza”

This article is islamofascist propaganda and has no credibility.

[Equine1952]

Genocide? WTF. I think I smell bull💩

[ScaniaBoy]

I'm not going to shoot the messanger, but this is just like UnwashedPeasant writes pure islamofascist propaganda.

If drug abuse would have been correlated to "Isreal's genocide" Israel would have had no problem, since there is no and has never been a genocide in Gaza.

A risk of an increase in substance abuse has been voiced long time ago. Read this article from November 2025 and note who are the persons at risk:

As Israel emerges from 24 months of war, experts warn of a dangerous surge in substance misuse among veterans, evacuees, and trauma survivors - and call for urgent action to address the crisis before it's too late.

Problematic Substance Use: A New Term for a New World

And some good news:

Bedouin agent brings down weapons smuggling network in massive operation

[SaveFerris]

Yep 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♂️🤦

[nuconvert]

Wow... no bias in that opening sentence.

[1035rep]

”Israel’s genocide in Gaza”

“This article is islamofascist propaganda and has no credibility.”

Agreed

[equaviator]

An increase in drug use over there shouldn’t be too surprising. Under the circumstances, escaping into an altered state of mind is understandable but it still doesn’t make it right.

[Ann Archy]

There is NO GAZA GENOCIDE!! geesh.

[Blennos]

“Gaza genocide” is a popular slogan which has as much credibility and reality as “global warming.” Good fodder for the low-IQ crowd.

[alexander_busek]

There is some truth to this article's basic premise - that genocide can lead to greater use of addictive substances.

Every time I commit me some genocide, I like to "cool off" afterwards with a big bowl of 'Fiddle Faddle' and some ice-cold root beer.

Stuff is addictive, I tell yuh!

Regards,

[MikelTackNailer]

Higher and deeper.

[maddog55]

There was no genocide in Gaza... probably hallucinations from the drugs.

[wny]

If Israel was committing “genocide” in Gaza, Gaza would be empty by now.

[Eli Kopter]

What a bullsh*t article. Totally biased and stupid. Anyone who lives in Israel and knows the people know this, but hey, if you rely on Haaretz, you get what you want.

[trebb]

“One in four Israelis now engages in harmful substance use as the psychological fallout from Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its expanding wars across the Middle East “

Had to stop reading this pap right there....

[TheThirdRuffian]

“ The 25% figure (1 in 4) does not refer exclusively to “hard drugs” like heroin or cocaine. It encompasses high-risk use of any addictive substance, including:
Alcohol
Cannabis
Prescription medications (sedatives, sleeping pills, opioids) used without or beyond medical prescription.
Illicit hard drugs (stimulants, opiates).”

So, having a glass of wine would put you in this study.

It’s propaganda from a group in search of grant money.

[BroJoeK]

from the article: "One in four Israelis now engages in harmful substance use as the psychological fallout from Israel’s genocide..."

UnwashedPeasant: "This article is islamofascist propaganda and has no credibility."

Israel under missile attacks:

Exactly right, the Middle East Eye report is BS.

• To begin with, it includes under "harmful substance" and "substance misuse": alcohol, cannabis and prescription medications, all of which can be legally purchased and used moderately or as prescribed.
  The idea that one in four Israelis drinks some alcohol is not unexpected, and whether that amounts to "abuse" is a matter of definitions and interpretations.

• For Americans, roughly 60% drink alcohol occasionally and 10% abuse it.

• This Middle East Eye report does not demonstrate Israeli numbers significantly different, though given the circumstances, I'd not be surprised if they are, or at least were, during periods of maximum bombardment by incoming missiles.

[TheThirdRuffian]

The population of Gaza increased during the “genocide”.

That’s a really poor way to run a genocide.

[Vision]

BS