60 People, 60 Stories

Stemming a scourge together

By Giovanni Nicotera (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-30 08:27

China shares with other countries the challenges that illicit drugs pose to governments and people. It shares the people's sufferings and the threats posed by organized crime, which thrives on the profits made from the trafficking in these illicit drugs. In China, however, the problems related to illicit drug production, trafficking and abuse are relatively new compared to other countries.

China is a country in a transitional phase and problems peculiar to transition phases are likely to happen in this period, such as rapid economic growth with discrepancies in income and marginalized populations, migrants and unemployment. These factors together further contribute to the spread of illicit drugs.

Giovanni Nicotera is the head of Beijing Office on Drugs and Crime

Youths are particularly at risk. They are living in a rapidly changing society and are under great pressure to deliver at school, succeed in university and find a good job. Parents are often out working hard and have little time to spend with their children to provide needed guidance and support. Moreover, economic development also brings with it the opening up of many entertainment venues, bars and Internet cafes, where it is easy to be exposed to illicit drugs and engage in risky behaviors that may also lead to acquiring HIV.

With the rapid growth of China's economic power, China has the capacity and resources to continue strengthening its anti-drug system in a comprehensive, effective way.

The involvement of the community is key in supporting government anti-drug efforts. Civil society at large and NGOs can greatly contribute to advocacy, outreach intervention and community rehabilitation and treatment services. The policies that regulate the implementation of methadone maintenance treatment are a good step forward as they allow for more flexibility than was possible in the past to meet the needs of the treatment's clients.

Worldwide, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime advocates that "nothing less" should be provided for the prevention of drug use and the treatment and care of drug dependence than what is provided for other health problems - that is, ethical interventions based on scientific evidence.