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The Prime Minister has declared a new campaign against drugs from the beginning of June till the end of August.
The campaign needs to bring about a great positive change in drug prevention and control, affirmed Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. He has asked the Ministries of Public Security, Finance and National Defence to set-up plans for the efforts to include all forces such as police, customs, border guards and marine police.
"Beside the general purposes, the annual campaign will this year especially focus on improving the leading role of the Party in the fight against drugs and for ensuring new laws on drugs are enforced," said Vu Quang Minh, vice-head of drug enforcement under the Ministry of Public Security.
Forces will be tasked with eliminating all places selling drugs, arresting all drug dealers and gaining complete control over the drug business.
"The office for drug control has given out its schedule for this month and has begun the campaign with meetings that are attracting thousands of participants," said Vinh.
The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs is also co-operating with the Ministry of Public Security, provinces and People's Committees in many cities to encourage drug addicts to enter rehabilitation centres.
The Ministry of Health has pushed-up the experimental project of treating drug addicts with Methadone in HCM City and the city of Hai Phong.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is being called on to help make opium growers in mountainous districts of north-western provinces be held accountable to drug laws.
During the campaign, Ha Noi's People's Committee, along with the steering committee for preventing AIDS, drugs and prostitution launched a competition to find the best volunteer who had worked on anti-drug activities in 2008. The National Assembly has just approved supplementary laws to add to existing laws on drug prevention, which will take effect starting January 1, 2009. The supplementary laws will correct the perceived inadequacy of drug laws originally put into place in 2000.
For example, the law of 2000 did not detail regulations on treating drug addicts in terms of methods and time frames. It also did not address funding for fighting drugs or how to encourage organisations, individuals and families to join the fight.
In the first five months of 2008, 1,076 drug cases were handled, an increase of 161 cases over the same period of 2007.
By the end of May, police had sent 1,120 drug addicts to rehabilitation centres, an increase of 108 over 2007.
This article appeared on www.vietnamnews.vnanet.vn
June 11, 2008
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