Dealing with the Smuggling of Health-Oriented Goods in the Borders of the Islamic Republic of Iran

The smuggling of health-oriented goods is actually considered a threat to the country's economy due to non-payment of taxes and duties, lack of services to society, and non-participation in production and creation of legal employment. Also, the weakness of the institutions in charge of these goes is considered a serious threat to public health. Therefore, in general, the smuggling of health-oriented goods can endanger the security and health of citizens. The purpose of the current research is to explain and evaluate the challenges of dealing with the smuggling of health-oriented goods from the borders of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In terms of its objectives, the current study is of an applied research type, which was conducted by a mixed-method approach (documents and surveys). The researcher has built a library as a tool for collecting data using a polling tool and a questionnaire. The statistical population includes border guard commanders of Kermanshah province up to the level of border checkpoints. The sample size was 385 individuals who were selected through Cochran's formula and the purposeful sampling method. Appropriate statistical tests (such as one-way analysis of variance and Pearson's correlation) were used to test hypotheses and measure correlation between variables using SPSS software. The findings indicate that the lack of formulation of coherent laws related to the fight against health-oriented goods smuggling, the prohibition and restriction of the entry and export of certain goods, the inefficiency of the laws and regulations in the field of goods smuggling, the weakness of the laws and regulations of border exchanges; underdevelopment of border areas, poverty (absolute and relative), kinship relations on both sides of the border, unemployment; the weakness of domestic production, the lack of control over the monetary and financial circulation system, profitability (due to the relative difference in the prices of goods), the spread of the culture of the hidden economy; the intensification of the class gap, the change of values, the weakness in the cultural fight against smuggling, the increase in the feeling of relative deprivation and the weakness in informing the people of the society about the legal, social, economic and cultural challenges in dealing with the smuggling of health-oriented goods in the border areas of Kermanshah province. The results showed that the existence of values such as consumers' economic rights, consumers' right to food, health, and medicine; citizens' social rights in physical and mental health, legal investment, and business rights, and extensive physical and life risks caused by the consumption of unhealthy products indicate that it is necessary to take action to solve the legal, social, economic and cultural challenges in the field of dealing with the smuggling of health-oriented goods.