ASEAN countries persistent in building drug-free community

The information was revealed by Colonel Hoang Anh Tuyen, deputy head of the Ministry of Public Security’s Office at a press briefing on the outcomes of the meetingi.

Colonel Tuyen said that at the meeting, ASEAN members approved an ASEAN Declaration opposing the legalization of controlled narcotic substances apart from medical and scientific purposes, and calling on the international community to abide by the Single Convention on Narcotics Drugs which is considered as the foundation of the world drug control system.

They agreed on the need to stay persistent to the goal of building a drug-free ASEAN Community. The joint statement will be tabled at the fifth inter-sessional meeting of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs slated for November 7-9 in Austria.

The AMMD-6 participants concurred that the ASEAN has continued to face great difficulties and challenges regarding drug matters. The use of drug in the world has shown no sign of recession, while narcotic drugs have become diverse with many new kinds.

Since 2009, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime has reported 739 new kinds of narcotic substances globally, with Asia being the biggest market in the world for meths and narcotics. Illegal drug production and trafficking methods have become more diverse and sophisticated.

The Golden Triangle remains the second largest hub of heroin production with about 650 tonnes of heroin, 1 billion tablets of meths and 20 tonnes of crystal meths per year.

However, according to statistics of the Mekong Sub-Region country, only 50 percent of the total was been seized.

Colonel Tuyen said that the AMMD-6 completed all the agenda, adding that important documents approved at the event will play the guiding role for drug control activities and international cooperation of the region in the future, manifesting the voice and solidarity as well as the standpoints of ASEAN regarding drug matters in the world arena.