Illicit Drug use in the Asia Pacific Region - Burnet Institute

Situational analysis of illicit drug issues and responses in the Asia–Pacific region
224
Recent program implementation by a group of
international NGOs in Myanmar is beginning
to address the lack of harm reduction services
to IDUs . Projects coordinated under UNAIDS
Joint Programs for HIV/AIDS in Myanmar
are currently operating needle and syringe
programs, drop-in centres and primary
health care services for drug users . Limited
pilot methadone programs are also underway
. According to the Fund for HIV/AIDS in
Myanmar — a major international funding
source for HIV prevention in the country
— over 400,000 needles were distributed in
Myanmar in 2004 (Technical Coordination
Unit, 2005) .
In some parts of Myanmar it remains common
for drug users to purchase a shot of heroin in
a pre-prepared syringe, often at a shooting
gallery . Drug users either inject themselves
A9 .5 Summary table
or are injected by a professional injector
who will inject their clients with their own
syringes . This situation raises a number of
risks . First, the syringes supplied in shooting
galleries are often reused, increasing the risk
of HIV and hepatitis C . Second, the shooting
galleries are often small makeshift huts made
from materials that are not conducive to good
hygiene, increasing the chances of secondary
infection associated with injection .
The level of condom utilisation among IDUs
is low, which dramatically increases the likelihood
of passing on HIV to a sexual partner .
In a study conducted by CARE, 71 per cent
of IDUs did not use a condom in the last
sexual encounter (Doradjee & Htet Doe,
2002) . These unsafe sexual practices provide
a bridge for HIV to move into the non-IDU
community .
Estimated number of drug users 300,000–400,000 (~140,000 IDUs)
Main drugs used Heroin, opium, methamphetamines,
marijuana, codeine, ephedrine and
tranquillisers
Drugs injected Heroin, sometimes mixed with tranquillisers
Estimated prevalence of
70%
HIV infection among IDUs
A9 .6 Country responses to drugs
Agreements and treaties
Myanmar is a party to the 1961 United Nations
Single Convention, the 1971 UN Convention
on Psychotropic Substances and the 1988 UN
Convention Against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotics
. In 1993, Myanmar enacted the Narcotic
Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law which,
as well as dealing with drug law, addresses
corruption, conspiracy, money laundering and
international cooperation against drugs .
Myanmar along with Cambodia, China, Laos,
Thailand and Vietnam signed a UNODC
Memorandum of Understanding covering a
subregional action plan aimed at controlling
precursor chemicals and reducing illicit
drug use in the highlands of Southeast Asia .
Myanmar is also a member of ASEAN and a
signatory to the ACCORD ‘drug-free ASEAN
by 2015’ agenda .
Myanmar also has bilateral agreements relating
to drug issues with China, Laos, India,
Russia, Thailand, United States of America
and Australia .
Policy responses
Myanmar has faced considerable international
pressure to control drug production, especially
opium and heroin, within its borders . International
aid has funded crop substitution
and eradication in the country from the mid-
1970s and has remained the central pillar to
Myanmar’s response to drug issues .
Myanmar’s stated policy toward drugs is the
‘15-Year Narcotic Drug Elimination Plan’ .
The policy was launched in 1999 with the
goal of accelerating the anti-drugs campaign
nationally, as well as the gradual elimination
of the cultivation of opium, while improving
the economic and social prospects of people
who rely on opium as a livelihood . The 15-
Year Plan will be implemented in three five-
year phases using law enforcement, supply
elimination and demand elimination as the
major tactics .
In line with the national policy of total eradication
of poppies, leaders of autonomously
controlled Kokang Special Region No . 1 and
Wa Special Region No . 2 have also committed
to the total eradication of poppies within
their regions (Economist, 2005) .
As stated above, the international community
has played an influential role in shaping
Myanmar’s drug policy . Both the United
Nations and the United States Drug Enforcement
Agency have invested considerable
resources in encouraging policies and
programs involving the control of opium
and heroin production . More recently, international
pressure has been imposed on
Myanmar to respond to the links between IDU
and HIV in the country . The government’s
national strategic plan to respond to HIV has
endorsed the UN-initiated Joint Program for
HIV/AIDS in Myanmar, again highlighting the
UN’s role in high-level policy negation .
Historically the Ministry of Home Affairs,
responsible for law enforcement, has been
the lead agency for influencing drug policy
in Myanmar . However, due to the HIV
crisis in Myanmar, the Ministry of Health is
increasingly important in shaping drug policy,
particularly in relation to the health impacts
of drug use .
The multi-ministerial CCDAC has a high profile
within the government and wields considerable
power in shaping policy at a central
level . CCDAC has also become an important
player in promoting health policies such as
harm reduction within Myanmar .
The Health Minister of Myanmar, Professor
Kyaw Mynit, has close associations with the
National AIDS Program and has been influential
in raising the importance of responding
to HIV in recent years .
225
Country profiles: Myanmar