Illicit Drug use in the Asia Pacific Region - Burnet Institute

Situational analysis of illicit drug issues and responses in the Asia–Pacific region
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Drug treatment in Myanmar is oriented
toward total abstinence from drugs . Treatment
involves a 42-day detoxification regime
consisting of decreasing doses of tincture
of opium together with some medicines for
symptomatic relief of opium withdrawal .
The treatment system in Myanmar consists
of 26 major drug treatment centres (DTCs),
40 minor DTCs and 49 border area hospitals .
The 26 major DTCs have a daily bed capacity
of 450 and an annual capacity of about 3500
(Birgin, 2004) .
The 42-day detoxification treatment in
Myanmar costs about US$60 for food and
medicine . Clients are denied treatment if they
cannot finance their stay, or if they are considered
too old or too ill; only opioid-dependent
patients are admitted to treatment . All those
who are refused admission, and therefore
registration, remain vulnerable to being
prosecuted under Law 1/1993 .
It is illegal for unauthorised practitioners
(private clinics, traditional healers, monks
etc) to provide treatment for drug users .
However, many drug users seek treatment
through these illegal settings because they
are cheaper and can avoid the stigmatisation
of registration (Birgin, 2004) .
While very few studies have looked at treatment
outcomes, it is estimated that 60–70
per cent of clients relapse in the first month
of being released from detoxification treatment
(Bezziccheri & Bazant, 2004) .
Other responses
Alternative development is a major focus
of both Myanmar and international donors .
Alternative development programs aim to
reduce opium-growing communities’ reliance
on opium by improving food security, developing
alternative livelihoods and improving
general living conditions, education and
health care services . In addition to several
programs being conducted by international
non-government organisations, the Government
of Myanmar has set up specific Working
Committees under the control of CCDAC
to focus on crop substitution and livestock
breeding . In the first five years of the
15-Year Narcotic Drug Elimination Plan, 22
townships have been involved in alternative
development programs with opium crops
being substituted with crops such as tea,
wheat, maize, coffee, fruit trees, rice and oilbearing
crops . Livestock breeding, including
pigs, cattle, fish and poultry, is another focus
of alternative development programs .
Another major strategy of the Myanmar
Government to eliminate drug use is
community-based demand reduction .
Prevention programs focus on education
sessions for school children as well as public
information campaigns via the media . Media
campaigns have used famous media and
music personalities to promote the ‘Amazing
life without drugs’ campaign . The campaign
includes sporting events, concerts, posterbillboards
as well as media advertisements .
School-based education is oriented toward
abstinence from drugs and focuses on the
dangers of drugs as well as promoting
healthy living practices and behaviours . Over
2000 teachers and 25,000 students received
drug education in Myanmar in 2002 (Central
Committee for Drug Abuse Control, 2002) .
Drug user organisations
No drug user organisations exist in Myanmar .
Advocacy groups
No advocacy groups exist for drug users in
Myanmar .
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Country profiles: Myanmar