Gaza (Palestine) Following the December 2008 Israeli offensive, a United Nations survey of Gaza residents found increases in risk taking behaviour, including a significant rise in cases of drug addiction. One drug associated with this trend, and the most common in this moment, is Tramadol or “al-Tramal†as it’s popularly known in that area. Tramadol is an opioid painkiller medication used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain. This pill has properties similar to codeine and morphine, it also works in other nerve receptor cells to relieve pain. In that way this drug can lift mood as well as relieve pain. Addicts take these drug to withstand the pressure, to feel more alive and happy, but with long-term use they can cause depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Withdrawal symptoms can include insomnia, nervousness, stress, lack of sleep, loss of appetite and significant weight loss. They also pose the risk of heart disease and kidney failure and increase daily cases of deaths due to abuse of tramadol.
