Methamphetamine use - a danger to society

(Baonghean)- Young people are getting involved in synthetic drugs, including "crystal" drugs, which are on the rise. Many drug rings,including the form of "family" associationSophisticated operations make the work of detecting and preventing them complicated...

Unforeseen consequences.

In Vinh City, the situation of buying, selling, storing and using synthetic drugs tends to increase. The type of synthetic drugs that people often use is Amphetamine - a tablet form similar to Western medicine and especially synthetic drugs in the form of "ice", refined to be as transparent as rock sugar. The users of synthetic drugs are mainly young people, who love to play, whose families lack control and have economic conditions. Some long-term drug addicts also switch to using ice drugs.

Drug trafficker arrested by Vinh City Police.

According to the police force, drug criminals operate very sophisticatedly, discreetly and also very boldly, ready to use hot weapons to fiercely fight back when arrested. Many drug criminals after being released from prison continue to re-offend, including those who are from other places who rent temporary accommodation to operate; many gathering places and retail outlets, although eradicated, recur in a complicated manner after a short time.

Colonel Mai Chien Thang, Deputy Chief of Vinh City Police, said: The number of cases and subjects trafficking and using drugs, especially crystal meth, is increasing. The use of crystal meth not only affects health but also causes many consequences for society and the community. On May 31, 2015, Tran Manh Cuong (residing in Khanh Hau hamlet, Hung Hoa commune, Vinh city) showed signs of being "high on drugs" and broke into his neighbor's house to tease Mr. Nguyen Quang Que's daughter. Being chased away, Cuong used a sharp knife to stab Mr. Que twice in the ribs and forehead, causing him to be injured and had to be taken to Military Hospital 4 for emergency treatment.

On September 3, 2015, while high on drugs, Le Ba Tam Long (born in 1990, residing in block 24, Hung Binh ward) destroyed property in the house. When his wife tried to stop him, Long used a knife to threaten to slash him. During the struggle, the knife in Long's hand squeezed his wife's arm, injuring her. Next, he poured gasoline on the family's two motorbikes, closed the door, went to the kitchen, pulled out the gas tank, and rolled straight into the fire. Fortunately, discovering the dangerous situation, the police quickly rushed into the yard, blocked the gas tank; at the same time, focused on extinguishing the fire and arresting the subject....

Complex developments

Synthetic drug abuse in Nghe An is becoming more and more complicated, with Vinh City identified as a hot spot. Popular drugs such as heroin are gradually being replaced by synthetic drugs such as Amphetamine, ATS, etc., making it very difficult for authorities to control and detect. Smuggled synthetic drugs are transported from Hai Phong, Hanoi, Ha Tinh, Lang Son, and the Vietnam-Laos border to Vinh City by means of transport. Then, the "ringleaders" resell them to retailers for consumption, mainly concentrated in entertainment venues, bars, karaoke bars, motels, and hotels. The subjects often contact each other via mobile phones to arrange locations and then exchange information quickly. Then, they invite each other to go to dance clubs, hotels, karaoke bars, or deserted places with few people passing by to use them. Therefore, it is very difficult for the police to detect and arrest them.

Amount of crystal meth seized.

Taking advantage of the content of Clause 3, Article 5 of Decree 221, which stipulates "not to apply measures to send people to compulsory drug rehabilitation facilities for drug addicts participating in opium addiction treatment" according to Decree 96/2012/ND-CP and the provisions in Article 21 of Decree 96/2012/ND-CP, they find every way to participate in the program of replacing opium-like substances with Methadone but in reality still use opium-like drugs to avoid being recorded for compulsory drug rehabilitation. Therefore, applying drug rehabilitation measures to these subjects is very difficult, leading to not reducing "demand" and blocking "supply". The number of drug addicts continues to increase, the consumer market develops, the structure of drug addicts changes fundamentally, from the elderly to the young. Especially among adolescents, teenagers, students; The main forms of use have changed from smoking, inhaling, and injecting to drinking and swallowing, from using heroin to using synthetic drugs.

Rescuers used a ladder truck to bring the "stoned" young man down to the ground. Photo: Internet

According to the assessment of the police force, there have appeared criminal networks, drug trafficking and transportation groups with the form of "family" operating sophisticatedly, closely linked with each other and having relationships with international criminal organizations. Worryingly, some civil servants in state agencies have degenerated, corrupted, protected, assisted criminals, and are involved in "money laundering" terrorist activities and other criminal activities.

In that situation, in order to prevent drug trafficking and use, it is necessary to promote information and communication work to create a widespread movement to encourage people to detect, denounce and participate in the fight against drugs. Strengthen the leadership and direction of Party committees and authorities at all levels; Control the emergence of new addicts and improve the effectiveness of drug rehabilitation work; Strengthen close coordination between relevant forces, between the police force and agencies, schools and families in drug prevention and control work. Synchronously implement professional measures to promptly detect, prevent and handle drug crimes and social evils.

Nguyen Hung