Heroin use in Egypt has reached epidemic proportions during the past decade, and the number of drug addicts admitted to hospitals for drug rehabilitation has significantly increased. The going rate for a gram of heroin is 60 pounds sterling, which means heroin addiction is almost exclusively the preserve of the wealthy. Estimates indicate that Egypt has about 14,000 heroin addicts and that the amount of heroin on the market is probably 5 to 10 times the quantity intercepted each year by customs officials. Constant heroin injections have serious side effects, including the risk of hepatitis, septicaemia, and AIDS. Reasons for the heroin epidemic in Egypt are discussed, penalties for drug use and possession are noted, and treatment options and costs are examined. 3 photographs