The Prime Minister has requested ministries, sectors and People’s Committees at municipal and provincial levels carry out drug prevention action month in June 2015.

He urged involved parties to increase public awareness-raising campaigns on the harmful effect of new psychoactive drugs as well as disseminate the Government’s policies in drug treatment, especially methadone therapy.

The Government leader also suggested building effective community-based support centres for drug users while diversifying communication methods through culture and sport activities and strictly supervising and eradicating illegal drug marketing on the internet.

Specifically, the Ministry of Public Security ought to double efforts to crack down on major drug trafficking rings in domestic hot-spots while working with the Ministry of National Defence to prevent drugs from entering the country via international border gates, seaports and airports.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs is responsible for completing relevant legal documents and assisting drug users to integrate into the community.

The Ministry of Health is to direct municipal and provincial health departments to open training courses and expand methadone maintenance treatment which had initial success during a pilot in northern Hai Phong city and southern Ho Chi Minh City in 2008.

The programme has now expanded to 32 cities and provinces nationwide with more than 17,500 patients being treated in 92 clinics. After a 12-month treatment course, many patients saw their physical and mental health stabilise, according to the ministry.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, Vietnam had more than 204,000 registered drug users last year, up 42.7 percent from 2010.

The ministry will devise a drug use prevention programme for 2016-2020 to submit to the government for approval.-VNA