One in three homes in a poor village of the Ningxia...

One in three homes in a poor village of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in west China had seen at least one family member die from a drug overdose, the Workers' Daily found.
Of the 1,597 mostly Muslim residents in Xigou's 370 households, more than 40 have been jailed for terms under 15 years for selling drugs, 70 are serving sentences ranging from 15 years to life imprisonment, and nine have been executed, according to the Workers' Daily.
The dearth of employment opportunities in the region and its remoteness were among the most significant causes of the drug problem, the Workers' Daily reported.
Despite the danger of death and the threat of joining their fathers, brothers and sons in prison, many of the village women - who often refer to themselves as widows of the living or widows of the dead - said the lack of employment options had forced them to sell drugs.
Many said that aside from an accidental death, they believed that state execution for their crimes was the most likely way they would die, according to the report.