Bac Son commune drags down drug abuse

* Effort to reduce the number of drug addicts

Mr Nguyen Trong Dat, Vice Chief of Bac Son Public Security said that, from 2008 to 2010, Bac Son was a drug abuse “hot spot” of Trang Bom district, with a number of 31 addicts. Drug dealers and users came from many classes and always changed their methods and locations in order to avoid police sweep. Determining that drug addiction would result in bad consequences for the community, leaders of People’s Committee of the commune had carried out many activities such as: persuading drug users to go to drug rehab centers, at the same time applying strict disciplines to punish and prevent crime in general. As a result, by the end of August 2012, 18 people successfully stopped using drug.

 To reduce drug abuse, Bac Son Public Security required the cooperation from people

Mr Dat said, “Some people underwent community rehabilitation while others go to drug rehab centers. After rehabilitation, they must report to the local authority so that their status could be updated and they can find suitable jobs as well as avoid being dragged back into addictive behaviors. Though the policy is strictly implemented, some just fell into addiction again due to insufficient care from their family and determination to give up using drug.

Mr Dat points out, “Many families, though knowing that their relatives were using drug, refused to cooperate with police. Being afraid of segregation and bad reputation, they tried to hide the fact that their relatives were addicted to drug. Not until tests are carried out, do they admit the truth”.  Most of the drug addicts in the commune live in poor families, with many members, due to insufficient care of their parents, they got themselves addicted to drug. “Should their families pay more care, get closer to their children, the situation could have been much better. Most of them perceived that this was the job of police, they only regretted until everything got out of hand” said Mr Dat.

* Practice of Propaganda to be pushed

Acknowledging the complex situation and there is a need to drag down the rate of drug addiction, Bac Son police force ceaselessly attempted to regain local stability. In which, the supervision of people from other locations joining the commune was always focused. Some vacant places suitable to be the ideal home for culprits have been prioritized to be monitored during police patrol. Side by side with police’s effort was cooperation from many groups, wards and households.

Bac Son commune also called for the participation of all local forces in order to push the practices of propaganda, education as well as management. At the beginning of May 2012, police invited owners of all renting rooms, motels, waiters at food stores, karaoke rooms…to the head office of People’s Committee of the commune to learn about the danger of drug. Through this activity, police presented the methods of crimes and ways of detection and prevention. They also provided people with cell phone number of their force so that the locals can contact in case of suspicion. Mr Dat said that “When receiving reports, police would immediately come to the site. The locals also enthusiastically responded to our strict policy”.

In August 2012, police force in Bac Son held a local meeting to update the situation of security and order in the area as well as potential drug users. Through these meetings, many people have shared their thoughts and responded to fighting against drug as encouraged by Public Security of the commune. As a result, every member of the local Women Union, Farmer Union, and Former Soldier Association…committed to prevent their relatives from drug addiction. With those having successfully finished their rehab, they would be under regular supervision to prevent re-addiction. They are also offered suitable jobs to integrate into the community.

Recalling a case of compulsory rehabilitation in July 2012, Mr Dat still clearly remembers “When we entered the house, parents of the addict were absent. Living in poverty with many children, they were too busy making money that they forgot to raise their children. They even pay no attention to their boy on knowing that he was addicted to drug …Therefore, to reduce the rate of local drug addiction each family must really pay attention to their own children”.

Source: Dong Nai Newspasper