Myanmar government calls for a reduction in drug abuse

The government of Myanmar called for residents to be more concerned with the health needs of young people in the country by helping to reduce drug abuse.

Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe, the country’s Minister of Home Affairs, made the announcement on the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which the country publicised using the slogan ‘Listen First’.

Kyaw Swe emphasised that preventing young people from abusing drugs was a more effective strategy than treating the effects of drug use. He said he planned to have rehabilitated drug users share their experiences and to emphasise the dangerous impacts that drug abuse had on their lives. He noted that the country will continue its efforts to provide mental and physical rehabilitation services for drug addicts and help them to reintegrate with society.

He also highlighted Myanmar’s new national policy to combat drug abuse, which includes taking steps to reduce opium growing, placing restrictions on the manufacture and transportation of opioids, conducting extra research on effective drug use prevention strategies, and developing programmes to support increased social development in the country.

Kyaw Swe said that there were currently 26 main centres to treat drug abuse in the country, together with 47 drug treatment sub-centres and 51 clinics providing methadone treatment.

To mark the international day to combat drug abuse, Kyaw Swe said that counter-narcotics agencies will give awards to the 107 winners of the competition in an anti-drug photography, painting and writing contest.