Law on Drug Prevention and Control

LAW

DRUG PREVENTION AND CONTROL

Pursuant to the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, as amended and supplemented under Resolution No. 203/2025/QH15;

The National Assembly hereby promulgates the Law on Drug Prevention and Control.

CHAPTER I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of regulation

This Law provides for drug prevention and control; management of illicit drug users; drug rehabilitation; responsibilities of individuals, families, agencies and organizations in drug prevention and control; and state management and international cooperation in drug prevention and control.

Article 2. Interpretation of terms

In this Law, the terms below are construed as follows:

1. Narcotic substances mean addictive substances and psychotropic substances specified in the lists of narcotic substances issued by the Government.

2. Addictive substances mean central nervous system stimulants or depressants that are liable to produce dependence in users.

3. Psychotropic substances mean central nervous system stimulants, depressants, or hallucinogens that, when used repeatedly, may lead to dependence in users.

4. Precursors mean chemicals frequently used in the preparation and production of narcotic substances, specified in the list of precursors issued by the Government.

5. Plants containing narcotic substances mean opium poppy plants, coca bush plants, cannabis plants, and other plants containing narcotic substances as prescribed by the Government.

6. Drug prevention and control means preventing, deterring, and combating drug-related crimes and vices; and controlling lawful activities related to drugs.

7. Drug-related vices mean the illicit use of narcotic substances, drug addiction, and acts of violating drug laws which do not constitute, or are not subject to, criminal prosecution.

8. Control of lawful activities related to drugs means permitting, monitoring, inspecting, and supervising lawful activities related to drugs, and preventing and deterring the abuse of such activities for other purposes.

9. Illicit drug user means a person who uses narcotic substances without permission from competent persons or specialized agencies and whose body tests positive for narcotic substances.

10. Testing for narcotic substances in the body means performing specialized techniques to determine the presence of narcotic substances in the body through urine samples, blood samples, or other human body samples.

11. Drug addict means a person who uses narcotic substances, narcotics, or psychotropics and has become dependent thereon.

12. Drug rehabilitation means the process of carrying out medical, psychological, and social support activities to help drug addicts stop using narcotic substances, narcotics, and psychotropics; restore physical and mental health; raise awareness; and change behaviors in order to terminate the illicit use of these substances.

Article 3. State policies on drug prevention and control

1. Implement synchronous measures for drug prevention and control, combined with the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS and other social vices.

2. Enhance communication and educational activities on drug prevention and control; encourage organizations and individuals to participate in drug prevention and control communication and education.

3. Prioritize resources for drug prevention and control in border areas, islands, ethnic minority and mountainous areas, socio-economically disadvantaged areas, extremely socio-economically disadvantaged areas, and drug-complex areas as prescribed by the Government.

4. Protect and support individuals, families, agencies, and organizations participating in drug prevention and control.

5. Strictly manage illicit drug users and drug addicts; encourage drug addicts to voluntarily undergo drug rehabilitation and substitution treatment; encourage individuals, families, agencies, and organizations to participate in and support drug rehabilitation and post-rehabilitation management activities.

6. Officers and soldiers of specialized agencies tasked with combating drug-related crimes, persons performing drug rehabilitation work in public drug rehabilitation facilities, and reform schools shall enjoy preferential regimes and policies appropriate to the nature of their tasks and operational areas as prescribed by the Government.

7. Ensure funding for drug rehabilitation in public drug rehabilitation facilities and reform schools; provide financial support for non-public drug rehabilitation, management of illicit drug users, and post-rehabilitation management.

8. Domestic and foreign organizations and individuals investing in drug rehabilitation activities, supporting post-rehabilitation management, preventing drug relapse, or employing drug addicts or persons who have completed drug rehabilitation decisions shall be entitled to land rental and corporate income tax exemptions or reductions in accordance with law.

9. Encourage scientific research, technology development, and the application of high technology in drug prevention and control.

10. Commend and reward individuals, organizations, and agencies with outstanding achievements in drug prevention and control.

Article 4. Financial sources for drug prevention and control

1. State budget.

2. Sponsorships, aid, investments, and donations from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals.

3. Payments made by drug addicts and their families.

4. Other lawful financial sources.

Article 5. Prohibited acts

1. Cultivating plants containing narcotic substances, or instructing others to cultivate plants containing narcotic substances.

2. Illicitly researching, appraising, testing, verifying, producing, storing, transporting, preserving, stockpiling, trading, distributing, processing, exchanging, exporting, importing, temporarily importing for re-export, temporarily exporting for re-import, or transiting narcotic substances, precursors, narcotics, psychotropics, precursor drugs, medicinal raw materials being narcotic medicinal substances, psychotropic medicinal substances, precursors used as drugs, veterinary drugs, animal feed, or aquatic feed containing narcotic substances or precursors.

3. Appropriating narcotic substances, precursors, narcotics, psychotropics, precursor drugs, medicinal raw materials being narcotic medicinal substances, psychotropic medicinal substances, precursors used as drugs, veterinary drugs, animal feed, or aquatic feed containing narcotic substances or precursors.

4. Delivering, receiving, managing, controlling, retaining, issuing, preserving, or storing narcotic substances or precursors contrary to law; permitting the illicit use of narcotic substances, narcotics, or psychotropics.

5. Using or organizing the illicit use of narcotic substances; coercing or enticing others to illicitly use narcotic substances; harboring or assisting in the illicit use of narcotic substances.

6. Producing, storing, transporting, or trading in equipment and instruments used for producing or illicitly using narcotic substances.

7. Obstructing the testing for narcotic substances in the body, determination of addiction status, management of illicit drug users, drug rehabilitation, or post-rehabilitation management.

8. Retaliating against or obstructing persons performing drug prevention and control duties or participants in drug prevention and control.

9. Abusing positions, powers, or professions to violate laws on drug prevention and control.

10. Instructing on the illicit production or use of narcotic substances; advertising or marketing narcotic substances.

11. Stigmatizing illicit drug users, persons undergoing drug rehabilitation, and post-rehabilitation persons.

CHAPTER II

RESPONSIBILITIES FOR DRUG PREVENTION AND CONTROL

Article 6. Responsibilities of individuals, families, and communities

1. Propagandize and educate family members and relatives on the harmful effects of drugs and implement legal provisions on drug prevention and control; manage and prevent family members from violating drug laws.

2. Properly comply with prescriptions by competent persons regarding the use of narcotics, psychotropics, precursor drugs, and veterinary drugs containing narcotic substances or precursors.

3. Cooperate with functional agencies in combating drug crimes and vices; manage illicit drug users; participate in supporting voluntary drug rehabilitation at home and in the community, drug rehabilitation at drug rehabilitation facilities, and substitution treatment; monitor and assist persons after drug rehabilitation in reintegrating into the community and preventing drug relapse.

4. Promptly provide information on drug crimes and vices, and the cultivation of plants containing narcotic substances to police offices or competent state agencies; participate in the eradication of plants containing narcotic substances organized by local authorities.

Article 7. Responsibilities of state agencies

1. Organize drug prevention and control within agencies and units; prevent and deter cadres, civil servants, public employees, employees under their management, and officers and soldiers of the people's armed forces from violating drug laws; propagate and mobilize the people to detect, denounce, and combat drug crimes and social vices.

2. Organize the implementation of the Party's guidelines and the State's policies on socio-economic planning and development to substitute the cultivation of plants containing narcotic substances in eradicated areas.

Article 8. Responsibilities of educational institutions

1. Organize the implementation of drug prevention and control education programs; disseminate and educate drug laws to pupils, students, and trainees; strictly manage and prevent pupils, students, and trainees from violating drug laws.

2. Coordinate with families, agencies, organizations, and local authorities to manage and educate pupils, students, and trainees on drug prevention and control.

3. Coordinate with competent agencies, organizations, and individuals to organize testing for narcotic substances in the body when necessary to detect pupils, students, and trainees illicitly using narcotic substances.

Article 9. Responsibilities of press and media agencies

Press and media agencies shall be responsible for coordinating with relevant agencies and organizations to disseminate guidelines, policies, and laws on drug prevention and control.

Article 10. Responsibilities of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, its member organizations, and other organizations

1. Organize and coordinate with competent agencies in propagating and disseminating knowledge and laws on drug prevention and control among the people; mobilize the people to participate in drug prevention and control and implement drug prevention and control movements.

2. Prevent and deter members of their organizations and all citizens from violating drug laws.

3. Coordinate with local authorities at all levels and competent agencies to mobilize drug addicts to implement drug rehabilitation measures and substitution treatment; manage illicit drug users; participate in reforming, educating, providing vocational training, finding jobs, and assisting persons after drug rehabilitation in reintegrating into the community and preventing drug relapse.

Article 11. Specialized agencies for combating drug-related crimes

1. Specialized agencies for combating drug-related crimes include:

a) Specialized agencies for combating drug-related crimes under the People's Public Security;

b) Specialized agencies for combating drug-related crimes under the Border Guard, the Viet Nam Coast Guard, and the Viet Nam Customs.

2. Specialized agencies for combating drug-related crimes under the People's Public Security shall, within their tasks and powers, assume prime responsibility for, and coordinate with relevant agencies and organizations in, carrying out prevention, deterrence, and combat activities against drug-related crimes.

3. Specialized agencies for combating drug-related crimes under the Border Guard, the Viet Nam Coast Guard, and the Viet Nam Customs shall, within their tasks and powers, assume prime responsibility for, and coordinate with police offices and other relevant agencies and organizations in, carrying out prevention, deterrence, and combat activities against drug-related crimes in areas or territories under their management and control.

4. In the same geographical area, upon detecting law violations relating to the tasks and powers of multiple agencies, the agency that detects first shall have the responsibility to handle them in accordance with law; if the case falls beyond its jurisdiction, it shall transfer the dossiers, violators, and material evidence to the competent agency for settlement.

5. The Government shall prescribe the coordination among specialized agencies for combating drug-related crimes.

Article 12. Electronic monitoring measures

1. Electronic monitoring is a measure using electronic devices to manage and monitor:

a) Persons undergoing voluntary drug rehabilitation at home or in the community;

b) Persons undergoing substitution treatment;

c) Persons under post-rehabilitation management.

2. Commune-level Police Chiefs shall have the authority to apply electronic monitoring measures.

3. Responsibilities of persons subject to electronic monitoring measures:

a) Comply with decisions on applying electronic monitoring measures;

b) Not arbitrarily remove, destroy, or interfere with the operation of electronic monitoring devices;

c) Immediately notify the commune-level police office upon discovering that the electronic monitoring device is damaged.

4. The Government shall detail the devices, subjects, conditions, duration, procedures, and handling of violations in applying electronic monitoring measures.

CHAPTER III

CONTROL OF LAWFUL ACTIVITIES RELATED TO DRUGS

Article 13. Lawful activities related to drugs

1. Lawful activities related to drugs are activities permitted by competent state management agencies, including:

a) Researching, appraising, testing, verifying, and producing narcotic substances (excluding the cultivation of plants containing narcotic substances), precursors, narcotics, psychotropics, precursor drugs, medicinal raw materials being narcotic medicinal substances, psychotropic medicinal substances, precursors used as drugs, veterinary drugs, animal feed, and aquatic feed containing narcotic substances or precursors;

b) Transporting, preserving, stockpiling, trading, distributing, using, processing, and exchanging narcotic substances, precursors, narcotics, psychotropics, precursor drugs, medicinal raw materials being narcotic medicinal substances, psychotropic medicinal substances, precursors used as drugs, veterinary drugs, animal feed, and aquatic feed containing narcotic substances or precursors;

c) Importing, exporting, temporarily importing for re-export, temporarily exporting for re-import, and transiting narcotic substances, precursors, narcotics, psychotropics, precursor drugs, medicinal raw materials being narcotic medicinal substances, psychotropic medicinal substances, precursors used as drugs, veterinary drugs, animal feed, and aquatic feed containing narcotic substances or precursors.

2. Lawful activities related to drugs specified in Clause 1 of this Article shall be strictly controlled in accordance with this Law and other relevant laws.

Article 14. Control of research, appraisal, and production of narcotic substances and precursors

1. Research, appraisal, and production activities of narcotic substances (excluding the cultivation of plants containing narcotic substances) and precursors must be monitored, inspected, and supervised by competent state agencies.

2. The Government shall prescrib competent agencies permitting; sequences and procedures for permission; and monitoring, inspection, and supervision of activities specified in Clause 1 of this Article.

Article 15. Control of transportation of narcotic substances and precursors

1. Agencies, organizations, and individuals permitted by competent state agencies may transport narcotic substances and precursors; during transportation, such substances must be packaged and sealed in accordance with regulations of competent agencies. They shall take responsibility for quantity and quality, apply safety measures to prevent loss during transportation, and be subject to monitoring, inspection, and supervision by competent state agencies.

2. The Government shall elaborate on this Article.

Article 16. Control of activities related to narcotics, psychotropics, precursor drugs, and medicinal raw materials being narcotic medicinal substances, psychotropic medicinal substances, and precursors used as drugs

The control of activities related to narcotics, psychotropics, precursor drugs, and medicinal raw materials being narcotic medicinal substances, psychotropic medicinal substances, and precursors used as drugs shall comply with pharmaceutical laws, except for activities specified at Point b, Clause 1, and Clause 2, Article 18 of this Law.

Article 17. Control of activities related to veterinary drugs, animal feed, and aquatic feed containing narcotic substances or precursors

The control of activities related to veterinary drugs, animal feed, and aquatic feed containing narcotic substances or precursors shall comply with the Government's regulations.

Article 18. Control of import, export, temporary import for re-export, temporary export for re-import, and transit of narcotic substances, precursors, narcotics, psychotropics, precursor drugs, medicinal raw materials being narcotic medicinal substances, psychotropic medicinal substances, and precursors used as drugs

1. The following activities must be permitted by competent agencies:

a) Importing, exporting, temporarily importing for re-export, and temporarily exporting for re-importing narcotic substances and precursors;

b) Temporarily importing for re-export and temporarily exporting for re-importing narcotics, psychotropics, precursor drugs, medicinal raw materials being narcotic medicinal substances, psychotropic medicinal substances, and precursors used as drugs.

2. The transit through Vietnamese territory of narcotic substances, precursors, narcotics, psychotropics, precursor drugs, medicinal raw materials being narcotic medicinal substances, psychotropic medicinal substances, and precursors used as drugs must follow the itineraries specified in transit licenses. Agencies and organizations carrying out transit must complete procedures and be subject to control by Viet Nam Customs and competent Vietnamese agencies.

3. The Government elaborate on this Article.

Article 19. Record-keeping and reporting on lawful activities related to drugs

Agencies, organizations, and individuals conducting activities specified in Clause 1, Article 13 of this Law shall be responsible for keeping records, making reports, and exchanging and sharing information in accordance with the Government's regulations.

Article 20. Control of lawful activities related to drugs for national defense and security purposes

Research, appraisal, production, transportation, stockpiling, preservation, use, import, export, temporary import for re-export, temporary export for re-import, and transit of narcotic substances, precursors, narcotics, psychotropics, precursor drugs, medicinal raw materials being narcotic medicinal substances, psychotropic medicinal substances, precursors used as drugs, veterinary drugs, animal feed, and aquatic feed containing narcotic substances or precursors for national defense and security purposes shall comply with the Government's regulations.

Article 21. Control of narcotics, psychotropics, and precursor drugs for first aid, emergency treatment on international journeys and tours, and personal medical treatment for entrants and transients

1. Carrying narcotics, psychotropics, and precursor drugs as reserves for first aid and emergency treatment on ships, aircraft, trains, automobiles, or other transport vehicles during international journeys or tours shall not be considered carrying export, import, or transit goods through Vietnamese territory.

Commanders and operators of transport vehicles shall be responsible for declaring to Viet Nam Customs; reporting and explaining the management and use of the drug quantities, applying appropriate safety measures to prevent misuse or illicit transportation of such drugs, and being subject to control by competent Vietnamese agencies.

2. Carrying narcotics, psychotropics, and precursor drugs for personal medical treatment by entrants or transients through Vietnamese territory shall comply with the Government's regulations and be subject to control by competent Vietnamese agencies.

Article 22. Handling of narcotic substances, precursors, narcotics, psychotropics, precursor drugs, medicinal raw materials being narcotic medicinal substances, psychotropic medicinal substances, precursors used as drugs, veterinary drugs, animal feed, and aquatic feed containing narcotic substances or precursors seized in law violation cases

Narcotic substances, precursors, narcotics, psychotropics, precursor drugs, medicinal raw materials being narcotic medicinal substances, psychotropic medicinal substances, precursors used as drugs, veterinary drugs, animal feed, and aquatic feed containing narcotic substances or precursors seized in criminal cases or administrative violation cases shall be handled in accordance with criminal procedure laws and laws on handling administrative violations.

CHAPTER IV

MANAGEMENT OF ILLICIT DRUG USERS

Article 23. Testing for narcotic substances in the body

1. Testing for narcotic substances in the body shall be performed on persons falling into any of the following cases:

a) Persons detected to have illicitly used narcotic substances;

b) Persons whom competent agencies or persons have grounds to believe have illicitly used narcotic substances;

c) Persons currently within the period of management of illicit drug users;

d) Persons currently undergoing drug rehabilitation;

dd) Persons currently undergoing substitution treatment;

e) Persons currently within the period of post-rehabilitation management.

2. Heads of drug rehabilitation facilities or substitution treatment facilities; persons with competence to sanction administrative violations for illicit drug use shall conduct tests for narcotic substances within their competence or request specialized agencies or persons to test for narcotic substances in the bodies of persons specified in Clause 1 of this Article.

If a person requested to undergo testing for narcotic substances in the body fails to comply, the person with competence to sanction administrative violations for illicit drug use has the right to apply measures to escort the violator in accordance with administrative procedures to the testing location to conduct tests for narcotic substances in the body.

If the test result is positive for narcotic substances, the result shall be immediately sent to the Chief of the Commune-Level Police Office of the locality where the person with the positive test result resides, except where such person is undergoing drug rehabilitation in a public drug rehabilitation facility or reform school. If the illicit drug user has no stable place of residence, provisions of Article 31 of this Law shall apply.

3. The State shall ensure funding for testing narcotic substances in the body for cases specified in Clause 1 of this Article.

Article 24. Management and education by competent agencies and individuals regarding illicit drug users

1. Management of illicit drug users is a preventive measure aimed at helping illicit drug users stop illicit drug use and preventing illicit drug users from committing law violations.

Management of illicit drug users is not an administrative handling measure.

2. The duration of management of an illicit drug user is 01 year from the date of issuing the management decision.

3. Commune-level People's Committees shall manage and educate illicit drug users in their localities.

4. Commune-Level Police Chiefs shall have the responsibility to directly assist Commune-Level People's Committees in managing illicit drug users and have the following tasks and powers:

a) Issue decisions and organize the management of illicit drug users within 24 hours after receiving positive test results for narcotic substances of persons residing in the locality;

b) Manage residence; summon; test for narcotic substances in the body; prevent and deter acts causing insecurity and disorder by illicit drug users;

c) Coordinate with agencies, organizations, mass associations, and individuals to counsel, encourage, educate, and assist illicit drug users so that they do not continue illicit drug use.

5. Within the management period, the Commune-Level Police Chief shall issue decisions to terminate the management of illicit drug users in the following cases:

a) The illicit drug user is determined to be a drug addict;

b) The illicit drug user is subject to administrative handling measures of being sent to compulsory education establishments or reform schools; or diversionary educational measures applied at reform schools;

c) The illicit drug user must serve a prison sentence;

d) The illicit drug user dies or is declared missing by the Court;

dd) Cases specified in Clause 7 of this Article.

6. For illicit drug users without a stable place of residence, after determining their addiction status and concluding that they are not drug addicts, the Commune-Level People's Committee and Commune-Level Police Chief of the locality where the illicit drug user is detected shall manage such user and coordinate with the Commune-Level People's Committee and Commune-Level Police Chief of the locality where the illicit drug user registered permanent residence to implement appropriate management in accordance with Clauses 2, 3, 4, and 5 of this Article.

The decision on managing illicit drug users shall be immediately sent to the Commune-Level People's Committee and Commune-Level Police Chief of the locality where the illicit drug user registered permanent residence for coordinated management.

7. For illicit drug users held in custody or temporary detention under the Criminal Procedure Code, the Commune-Level Police Chief shall issue a decision to temporarily suspend management. If the period of custody or temporary detention is longer than the remaining management period of the illicit drug user, the Commune-Level Police Chief shall decide to terminate management. If the period of custody or temporary detention is shorter than the remaining management period, management shall continue until the expiration of the management period.

8. Commune-level police offices shall periodically report to Commune-Level People's Committees or report upon request on the management of illicit drug users.

9. The Government shall elaborate on this Article.

Article 25. Responsibilities of illicit drug users

1. Provide full and accurate information on their narcotic substances and illicit drug use acts to commune-level police offices or other competent agencies and persons.

2. Be present upon summonses and requests of commune-level police offices and Commune-Level People's Committees during the management period.

3. Commit to strictly complying with legal provisions.

4. Report to the commune-level police office when absent from the place of residence; notify the commune-level police office of the place of current residence before changing residence; and report to the commune-level police office of the new residence within 24 hours.

5. Perform other responsibilities prescribed by this Law and relevant laws.

Article 26. Responsibilities of families, agencies, organizations, and individuals in managing illicit drug users

1. Families of illicit drug users have the following responsibilities:

a) Manage and educate illicit drug users; prevent illicit drug use acts;

b) Provide information on illicit drug use acts of illicit drug users to commune-level police offices;

c) Prevent illicit drug users from committing acts causing insecurity and disorder;

d) Coordinate with competent agencies in taking illicit drug users for testing for narcotic substances in the body.

2. Agencies, organizations, and individuals where illicit drug users work or live have the following responsibilities:

a) Encourage, assist, and educate illicit drug users; prevent illicit drug use acts;

b) Coordinate with families and competent agencies in organizing the testing for narcotic substances in the bodies of illicit drug users.

Article 27. Drawing up lists of illicit drug users

1. Commune-level police offices shall draw up lists of illicit drug users residing in their localities.

2. When an illicit drug user changes residence, the departing commune-level police office is responsible for notifying the arriving commune-level police office within 24 hours from the time such person leaves the locality for inclusion in the list and continued management.

3. Commune-level police offices shall remove persons from the list of illicit drug users in the following cases:

a) The illicit drug user has no illicit drug use acts during the management period prescribed in Clause 2, Article 24 of this Law;

b) The illicit drug user falls into cases of terminating management prescribed in Clause 5, Article 24 of this Law;

c) The illicit drug user moves to reside in another locality.

CHAPTER V

DRUG REHABILITATION

Article 28. Drug rehabilitation facilities

1. Drug rehabilitation facilities are established to carry out rehabilitation for drug addicts, including:

a) Public drug rehabilitation facilities carrying out drug rehabilitation for persons aged 18 years or older;

b) Reform schools and public drug rehabilitation facilities meeting conditions to carry out drug rehabilitation for persons aged between full 12 years and under 18 years;

c) Private drug rehabilitation facilities carrying out drug rehabilitation for persons aged 12 years or older.

2. The Government shall prescribe conditions on physical foundations and equipment at drug rehabilitation facilities specified at Points a and b, Clause 1 of this Article; and criteria for establishment, sequences, procedures for grant, re-grant, and revocation of operation licenses, and conditions on physical foundations, equipment, personnel, and management regimes at private drug rehabilitation facilities.

3. The Minister of Public Security shall decide on the establishment and dissolution of public drug rehabilitation facilities and reform schools; and prescribe personnel conditions and management regimes at public drug rehabilitation facilities and reform schools.

4. Directors of provincial-level Police Departments shall grant, re-grant, suspend, and revoke operation licenses for private drug rehabilitation facilities within their managed areas.

Article 29. Duration and process of drug rehabilitation

1. The duration of drug rehabilitation is 24 months for first-time drug rehabilitation trainees, and 36 months for second-time or subsequent drug rehabilitation trainees.

2. The drug rehabilitation process comprises the following stages:

a) Reception and classification;

b) Treatment of withdrawal symptoms, detoxification, mental disorders, and other pathologies;

c) Education, counseling, behavioral and personality restoration;

d) Occupational therapy and vocational training;

dd) Preparation for community reintegration.

3. Drug rehabilitation trainees must fully implement the duration and process of drug rehabilitation prescribed in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article.

4. The Government shall elaborate on Clauses 2 and 3 of this Article.

Article 30. Forms of drug rehabilitation

1. Voluntary drug rehabilitation includes:

a) Voluntary drug rehabilitation at home or in the community in accordance the duration and process of drug rehabilitation prescribed in Clauses 1 and 2, Article 29 of this Law;

b) Voluntary drug rehabilitation at public drug rehabilitation facilities, reform schools, or public drug rehabilitation facilities meeting conditions to carry out drug rehabilitation for persons aged between full 12 years and under 18 years, shall fully comply with the duration and process of drug rehabilitation prescribed in Clauses 1 and 2, Article 29 of this Law;

c) Voluntary drug rehabilitation at private drug rehabilitation facilities shall fully comply with the duration and process of drug rehabilitation prescribed in Article 29 of this Law;

d) Voluntary drug rehabilitation at private drug rehabilitation facilities implementing at least 03 stages prescribed at Points a, b, and c, Clause 2, Article 29 of this Law, while the remaining duration and stages must continue to be implemented at home or in the community.

2. Compulsory drug rehabilitation includes:

a) Compulsory drug rehabilitation at public drug rehabilitation facilities for persons aged 18 years or older shall fully comply with the duration and process of drug rehabilitation prescribed in Clauses 1 and 2, Article 29 of this Law;

b) Compulsory drug rehabilitation at reform schools or public drug rehabilitation facilities meeting conditions to carry out drug rehabilitation for persons aged between full 12 years and under 18 years, shall fully comply with the duration and process of drug rehabilitation prescribed in Clauses 1 and 2, Article 29 of this Law.

Article 31. Determination of drug addiction status

1. Determination of drug addiction status shall be performed on persons falling into any of the following cases:

a) Persons voluntarily determining their drug addiction status;

b) Persons registering for voluntary drug rehabilitation who have no certification of addiction status or whose certification of addiction status has expired for more than 06 months;

c) Persons currently within the period of management of illicit drug users prescribed in Clause 2, Article 24 of this Law who are detected to have illicitly used narcotic substances, if not falling into cases handled under criminal laws;

d) Persons currently within the period of post-rehabilitation management who are detected to have illicitly used narcotic substances, if not falling into cases handled under criminal laws;

dd) Illicit drug users without a stable place of residence, not falling into cases specified at Points c and d of this Clause.

2. Commune-level police offices of the localities where persons falling into cases specified in Clause 1 of this Article are detected shall compile dossiers and request competent medical establishments to determine drug addiction status.

3. Specialized agencies for combating drug-related crimes specified in Clause 1, Article 11 of this Law during the investigation and handling of law violation cases who detect cases specified at Points c, d, and dd, Clause 1 of this Article shall compile dossiers and request competent medical establishments to determine drug addiction status and implement as follows:

a) If addiction is determined, transfer the drug addict and relevant documents to the commune-level police office of the locality where the illicit drug user was detected or the commune-level police office of the locality where the illicit drug use act was detected for persons without a stable place of residence;

b) If non-addiction is determined, notify and transfer relevant documents to the commune-level police office to manage the illicit drug user in accordance with Article 24 of this Law.

4. Upon obtaining the result determining drug addiction status, the medical establishment shall be responsible for immediately sending the result to the requesting agency, the person whose addiction status has been determined; parents, guardians, or legal representatives of persons aged between full 12 years and under 18 years.

5. A person requested to determine drug addiction status has the following rights and responsibilities:

a) To have their honor and dignity protected; to be supported with travel, accommodation, treatment of withdrawal syndrome and accompanying diseases during the determination of drug addiction status;

b) To comply with internal rules and regulations of the addiction determination establishment; to truthfully declare to medical staff about drug use history and manifestations of drug use.

6. Persons aged 18 years or older, or parents, guardians, or legal representatives of persons aged between full 12 years and under 18 years specified at Points a and b, Clause 1 of this Article, upon receiving results determining addiction, are responsible for registering for voluntary drug rehabilitation or substitution treatment with the commune-level police office of the place of residence.

Persons aged 18 years or older, or parents, guardians, or legal representatives of persons aged between full 12 years and under 18 years specified at Point dd, Clause 1 of this Article, upon receiving results determining addiction, are responsible for registering for voluntary drug rehabilitation at public drug rehabilitation facilities, reform schools, or public drug rehabilitation facilities meeting conditions to carry out drug rehabilitation for persons aged between full 12 years and under 18 years with the commune-level police office of the locality where the illicit drug use act was detected.

7. The Government shall prescribe medical establishments meeting conditions to determine drug addiction status; dossiers, sequences, and procedures for determining drug addiction status.

8. The Minister of Health shall prescribe diagnostic standards and professional procedures for determining drug addiction status.

9. The State shall ensure funding for determining drug addiction status for cases specified in Clause 1 of this Article.

Article 32. Voluntary drug rehabilitation at home or in the community

1. Voluntary drug rehabilitation at home or in the community means that drug addicts voluntarily register for drug rehabilitation at home or in the community with professional support from organizations and individuals providing drug rehabilitation services, coordination and assistance from families and communities, and management by Commune-Level People's Committees and commune-level police offices.

2. The duration of voluntary drug rehabilitation at home or in the community is calculated as follows:

a) If drug rehabilitation trainees fully implement the duration and process prescribed in Article 29 of this Law, the duration shall be calculated from the date the commune-level police office makes a record of receiving the drug rehabilitation registration;

b) If drug rehabilitation trainees undergo rehabilitation at private drug rehabilitation facilities and have completed at least 03 stages prescribed at Points a, b, and c, Clause 2, Article 29 of this Law but have not completed the duration and process prescribed in Clauses 1 and 2, Article 29 of this Law, the remaining rehabilitation duration shall be calculated from the date the commune-level police office makes a record of receiving the drug rehabilitation registration. In this case, drug rehabilitation trainees must continue to undergo drug rehabilitation at home or in the community for the remaining time and process until fully meeting the duration and process prescribed in Clauses 1 and 2, Article 29 of this Law.

3. Drug rehabilitation trainees undergoing voluntary drug rehabilitation at home or in the community who complete at least 03 stages prescribed at Points a, b, and c, Clause 2, Article 29 of this Law shall receive financial support.

4. Drug rehabilitation trainees undergoing voluntary drug rehabilitation at home or in the community are responsible for registering drug rehabilitation with the commune-level police office and making a written commitment to strictly comply with management and monitoring measures. If the drug rehabilitation trainee is aged between full 12 years and under 18 years, the written commitment must be confirmed by their parents, guardians, or legal representatives.

5. Commune-Level Police Chiefs shall have the following tasks and powers:

a) Make a record of receiving registration for voluntary drug rehabilitation at home or in the community;

b) Manage residence; summon; apply electronic monitoring; test for narcotic substances in the body; prevent and deter acts causing insecurity and disorder by persons undergoing drug rehabilitation at home or in the community;

c) Issue certificates of completion of voluntary drug rehabilitation at home or in the community;

d) Periodically report to Commune-Level People's Committees or report upon request on the management of persons undergoing voluntary drug rehabilitation at home or in the community.

6. Directors of provincial-level Police Departments shall have the following responsibilities:

a) Direct, guide, and inspect voluntary drug rehabilitation at home or in the community;

b) Receive registrations and publish lists of organizations and individuals meeting conditions to provide voluntary drug rehabilitation services at home or in the community;

c) Notify Commune-Level People's Committees and commune-level police offices of lists of organizations and individuals providing voluntary drug rehabilitation services at home or in the community.

7. Chairpersons of provincial-level People's Committees shall have the following responsibilities:

a) Assign tasks to public non-business units under their competence in the locality to provide voluntary drug rehabilitation services at home or in the community;

b) Allocate funding to support voluntary drug rehabilitation at home or in the community.

8. Drug rehabilitation facilities, organizations, and individuals meeting conditions to provide one or more rehabilitation stages according to the drug rehabilitation process prescribed in Clause 2, Article 29 of this Law may provide voluntary drug rehabilitation services at home or in the community and have the following responsibilities:

a) Receive and organize the provision of voluntary drug rehabilitation services at home or in the community;

b) Comply with professional and technical procedures regulated by competent agencies;

c) Within 24 hours after a drug rehabilitation trainee uses the service, arbitrarily terminates service use, or completes the service, notify the commune-level police office of the locality where such person resides.

9. Qualified organizations and individuals may register to provide voluntary drug rehabilitation services at home or in the community with Directors of provincial-level Police Departments.

10. The Government shall elaborate on this Article.

Article 33. Voluntary drug rehabilitation at private drug rehabilitation facilities

1. Drug addicts undergoing voluntary drug rehabilitation at private drug rehabilitation facilities who complete at least 03 stages prescribed at Points a, b, and c, Clause 2, Article 29 of this Law shall receive financial support.

2. The duration of voluntary drug rehabilitation at private drug rehabilitation facilities is calculated from the date the drug rehabilitation facility makes a reception record.

3. Drug addicts undergoing voluntary drug rehabilitation at private drug rehabilitation facilities who have fully implemented the duration and process prescribed in Clauses 1 and 2, Article 29 of this Law shall implement as follows:

a) The private drug rehabilitation facility shall issue a certificate of completion of voluntary drug rehabilitation to the drug rehabilitation trainee and send a copy to the commune-level police office of the locality where the person completing drug rehabilitation resides, within 24 hours;

b) The person who has completed drug rehabilitation must report and submit the certificate specified at Point a of this Clause to the commune-level police office of the place of residence within 02 days from the date of receiving the certificate specified at Point a of this Clause.

4. Drug rehabilitation trainees who fail to fully implement stages at private drug rehabilitation facilities must complete at least 03 stages prescribed at Points a, b, and c, Clause 2, Article 29 of this Law, while the remaining time and process prescribed in Clauses 1 and 2, Article 29 of this Law shall continue to be implemented at home or in the community. For this case, implementation shall be as follows:

a) The private drug rehabilitation facility shall issue a certificate of the time and process that the drug rehabilitation trainee has implemented at such facility and, within 24 hours, send a notice on drug rehabilitation to the commune-level police office of the locality where the rehabilitation trainee resides;

b) The drug rehabilitation trainee must report, submit the certificate specified at Point a of this Clause, and register to continue drug rehabilitation at home or in the community with the commune-level police office in accordance with Point b, Clause 2, Article 32 of this Law within 02 days after receiving the certificate specified at Point a of this Clause.

5. If a drug rehabilitation trainee arbitrarily terminates rehabilitation at a private drug rehabilitation facility without falling into cases specified in Clause 4 of this Article, the private drug rehabilitation facility must notify within 24 hours and coordinate with the commune-level police office of the locality where the rehabilitation trainee resides to compile a dossier to send the drug addict for compulsory drug rehabilitation.

6. The Government shall elaborate on this Article.

Article 34. Voluntary drug rehabilitation at public drug rehabilitation facilities and reform schools

1. Drug addicts wishing to undergo drug rehabilitation shall register with commune-level police offices to undergo voluntary drug rehabilitation at public drug rehabilitation facilities or reform schools. If drug addicts have no stable place of residence, they must register for voluntary drug rehabilitation at public drug rehabilitation facilities or reform schools.

2. Dossiers for registering voluntary drug rehabilitation at public drug rehabilitation facilities and reform schools comprise:

a) Curriculum vitae of the registrant;

b) Application for voluntary drug rehabilitation by the drug addict; if the drug addict is under 18 years of age, opinions of their parents, guardians, or legal representatives are required;

c) Certification of drug addiction status by a competent medical establishment or certification by a substitution treatment facility;

d) Written document of the Commune-Level Police Chief requesting consideration for admission to public drug rehabilitation facilities or reform schools;

e) Other relevant documents (if any).

3. Directors of provincial-level Police Departments shall decide to send drug addicts for voluntary drug rehabilitation at public drug rehabilitation facilities or reform schools.

4. Public drug rehabilitation facilities and reform schools shall be responsible for issuing certificates of completion of drug rehabilitation to drug rehabilitation trainees.

5. The Government shall elaborate on this Article.

Article 35. Application of administrative handling measures of sending to compulsory drug rehabilitation

1. Drug addicts aged 18 years or older shall be subject to administrative handling measures of being sent to compulsory drug rehabilitation under the Law on Handling Administrative Violations if not falling into cases handled under criminal laws, when falling into any of the following cases:

a) Failing to register, failing to implement, or arbitrarily terminating voluntary drug rehabilitation, except for cases specified in Clause 4, Article 33 of this Law;

b) Being detected to have illicitly used narcotic substances during voluntary drug rehabilitation;

c) Drug addicts failing to register, failing to implement, or arbitrarily terminating substitution treatment, or having their substitution treatment terminated due to violations of treatment regulations;

d) Being determined to be drug addicts during the post-rehabilitation management period;

dd) Cases specified in Clause 3, Article 36 and Clauses 2, 3, and 4, Article 47 of this Law.

2. Compulsory drug rehabilitation measures shall not be applied to the following persons:

a) Persons lacking administrative responsibility capacity;

b) Pregnant women with certification from medical examination and treatment establishments meeting conditions prescribed by law;

c) Women or sole persons raising small children under 36 months of age, certified by the Commune-Level People's Committee of the locality where they reside.

3. Dossiers requesting application of administrative handling measures of sending to compulsory drug rehabilitation shall be compiled from the time of obtaining results determining drug addiction status or arbitrary termination of substitution treatment until the Court issues a decision. Dossiers shall be compiled as follows:

a) For drug addicts with a stable place of residence, the Commune-Level Police Chief of the locality where they reside shall compile dossiers requesting the application of measures to be sent to compulsory drug rehabilitation. For drug addicts without a stable place of residence, the Commune-Level Police Chief of the locality where law violation acts are detected for the last time shall compile dossiers requesting the application of measures to be sent to compulsory drug rehabilitation;

b) Request dossiers comprise: a summary of curriculum vitae, violation records, certification of drug addiction status by a competent medical establishment or certification by a substitution treatment facility, written documents of the Commune-Level Police Chief requesting consideration for applying measures to be sent to compulsory drug rehabilitation, and other relevant documents (if any).

Dossiers requesting application of compulsory drug rehabilitation measures must be numbered and archived in accordance with archival laws;

c) After completing request dossiers, the commune-level police office compiling the dossier must notify in writing the person requested to be subject to compulsory drug rehabilitation measures or their legal representative about dossier compilation. These persons have the right to read dossiers and take notes of necessary contents within 03 working days from the date of receiving the notice;

d) Within 01 working day from the date of expiration of the dossier reading period specified at Point c of this Clause, the Commune-Level Police Chief shall decide and transfer the dossier to request the area-based People's Court to apply measures of sending to compulsory drug rehabilitation.

4. The statute of limitations for applying administrative handling measures of sending to compulsory drug rehabilitation is 03 months from the date the drug addict commits the violation specified in Clause 1 of this Article for the last time; if drug addicts intentionally evade or obstruct the application of administrative handling measures of sending to compulsory drug rehabilitation, the statute of limitations shall be recalculated from the time such evasion or obstruction acts terminate.

5. Public drug rehabilitation facilities are responsible for issuing certificates of completion of drug rehabilitation to drug rehabilitation trainees and sending copies to their families, area-based People's Courts that issued decisions, Commune-Level People's Committees, and commune-level police offices of the localities where they reside.

6. Drug addicts whose place of residence cannot be determined and who have lost working capacity shall, after expiration of serving rehabilitation in public drug rehabilitation facilities, be sent to social protection facilities.

7. The Government shall detail Clauses 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 of this Article.

8. Area-based People's Courts shall decide to apply measures of sending to compulsory drug rehabilitation; the Standing Committee of the National Assembly shall prescribe sequences and procedures for People's Courts to consider and decide on applying administrative handling measures of sending to compulsory drug rehabilitation.

Article 36. Compulsory drug rehabilitation for persons aged between full 12 years and under 18 years

1. Drug addicts aged between full 12 years and under 18 years shall be sent to compulsory drug rehabilitation if not falling into cases handled under criminal laws when falling into any of the following cases:

a) Failing to register, failing to implement, or arbitrarily terminating voluntary drug rehabilitation, except for cases specified in Clause 4, Article 33 of this Law;

b) Being detected to have illicitly used narcotic substances during voluntary drug rehabilitation;

c) Drug addicts failing to register, failing to implement, or arbitrarily terminating substitution treatment, or having substitution treatment terminated due to violations of treatment regulations;

d) Being determined to be drug addicts during post-rehabilitation management;

dd) Cases specified in Clauses 2, 3, and 4, Article 47 of this Law.

2. Dossiers requesting application of compulsory drug rehabilitation measures for persons aged between full 12 years and under 18 years shall be compiled from the time of obtaining results determining drug addiction status or arbitrary termination of substitution treatment until the Court issues decisions. Dossiers shall be compiled as follows:

a) For drug addicts with a stable place of residence, the Commune-Level Police Chief of the locality where they reside shall compile dossiers requesting application of compulsory drug rehabilitation measures. For drug addicts without a stable place of residence, the Commune-Level Police Chief of the locality where law violation acts are detected shall compile dossiers requesting application of compulsory drug rehabilitation measures;

b) Request dossiers comprise: a summary of curriculum vitae; violation records; certification of drug addiction status by a competent medical establishment or certification by a substitution treatment facility; explanatory statements of drug addicts or their legal representatives; opinions of parents, guardians, or their legal representatives; written documents of Commune-Level Police Chiefs requesting consideration for applying compulsory drug rehabilitation measures and other relevant documents (if any).

Request dossiers for compulsory drug rehabilitation measures must be numbered and archived in accordance with archival laws;

c) After completing request dossiers, the commune-level police office compiling dossiers must notify in writing persons requested to be subject to compulsory drug rehabilitation measures and their parents, guardians, or legal representatives. These persons have the right to read dossiers and take notes of necessary contents within 03 working days from the date of receiving notices;

d) Within 01 working day from the date of expiration of the dossier reading period specified at Point c of this Clause, the Commune-Level Police Chief shall decide to transfer dossiers to request area-based People's Courts to apply compulsory drug rehabilitation measures.

3. The statute of limitations for applying compulsory drug rehabilitation measures is 03 months from the date drug addicts commit acts specified in Clause 1 of this Article for the last time; if drug addicts intentionally evade or obstruct the application of compulsory drug rehabilitation measures, the statute of limitations shall be recalculated from the time such evasion or obstruction acts terminate.

If at the time drug addicts terminate evasion or obstruction acts, they have reached 18 years of age or older, the Court shall decide to apply administrative handling measures of sending to compulsory drug rehabilitation prescribed in Clause 8, Article 35 of this Law.

4. Drug addicts aged between full 12 years and under 18 years shall undergo compulsory drug rehabilitation at reform schools or public drug rehabilitation facilities meeting conditions to carry out drug rehabilitation for persons aged between full 12 years and under 18 years. When drug addicts reach 18 years of age, if the remaining rehabilitation period is 03 months or more, they shall be transferred to undergo compulsory drug rehabilitation at public drug rehabilitation facilities.

5. Reform schools or public drug rehabilitation facilities meeting conditions to carry out drug rehabilitation for persons aged between full 12 years and under 18 years shall be responsible for issuing certificates of completion of drug rehabilitation to drug rehabilitation trainees aged between full 12 years and under 18 years and sending copies to their parents, guardians, or legal representatives, area-based People's Courts that issued decisions, Commune-Level People's Committees, and commune-level police offices of the localities where they reside.

6. Drug addicts without a stable place of residence shall, after expiration of serving compulsory drug rehabilitation measures, be sent to social protection facilities.

7. The Government shall detail Clauses 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 of this Article.

8. Sending drug addicts aged between full 12 years and under 18 years for compulsory drug rehabilitation shall be decided by area-based People's Courts and is not an administrative handling measure; the Standing Committee of the National Assembly shall prescribe sequences and procedures for People's Courts to consider and decide on sending drug addicts aged between full 12 years and under 18 years for compulsory drug rehabilitation prescribed in this Article.

Article 37. Management of drug addicts during compilation of dossiers for sending to compulsory drug rehabilitation

1. The commune-level police office compiling dossiers requesting application of compulsory drug rehabilitation measures shall decide to hand over persons requested to the nearest public drug rehabilitation facility or reform school for management during dossier compilation.

2. Persons requested to be subject to compulsory drug rehabilitation measures during management shall enjoy regimes like persons subject to compulsory drug rehabilitation. Management periods shall be deducted from drug rehabilitation periods.

Article 38. Execution of decisions on sending to drug rehabilitation facilities

1. Commune-Level Police Chiefs shall responsible for organizing the execution of decisions of Courts and provincial-level Police Directors on sending drug addicts for drug rehabilitation.

2. Directors of provincial-level Police Departments shall have the following tasks and powers:

a) Decide on public drug rehabilitation facilities under their management competence to receive voluntary and compulsory drug rehabilitation trainees;

b) Transfer drug rehabilitation trainees among public drug rehabilitation facilities under their management competence;

c) Organize the escort of drug rehabilitation trainees to public drug rehabilitation facilities and reform schools;

d) Decide to search for persons who must execute decisions but have not yet been escorted to public drug rehabilitation facilities or reform schools and have fled.

3. Director-General of Drug Crime Investigation Police Department shall have the following tasks and powers:

a) Decide on public drug rehabilitation facilities to receive voluntary and compulsory drug rehabilitation trainees nationwide;

b) Transfer drug rehabilitation trainees among public drug rehabilitation facilities not belonging to the same province or centrally run city.

4. Director-General of Prison Management, Compulsory Education Establishment, and Reform School Management Police Department have the following tasks and powers:

a) Decide on reform schools to receive persons aged between 12 and under 18 years for voluntary and compulsory drug rehabilitation;

b) Transfer drug rehabilitation trainees aged between full 12 years and under 18 years among reform schools.

5. The duration for organizing the execution of drug rehabilitation decisions is 24 hours; the duration for issuing decisions on public drug rehabilitation facilities and reform schools receiving voluntary and compulsory drug rehabilitation trainees and organizing the escort of trainees for voluntary and compulsory drug rehabilitation is 24 hours.

Article 39. Postponement, exemption, and temporary suspension of execution of decisions on applying measures of sending to drug rehabilitation

1. Persons who must execute decisions but have not yet been taken to public drug rehabilitation facilities or reform schools shall be postponed from executing decisions in cases of severe illness certified by ongoing medical examination and treatment establishments or medical establishments of basic level or higher, or in cases of special family difficulties certified by Chairpersons of Commune-Level People's Committees of localities where they reside.

When conditions for postponing decision execution no longer exist, decisions shall continue to be executed.

2. Persons who must execute decisions but have not yet been taken to public drug rehabilitation facilities or reform schools shall be exempted from executing decisions in the following cases:

a) Suffering from critical illnesses certified by ongoing medical examination and treatment establishments or medical establishments of basic level or higher;

b) During the period of postponing decision execution specified in Clause 1 of this Article, such persons no longer have drug addiction;

c) Being pregnant with certification from medical examination and treatment establishments meeting conditions prescribed by law.

3. If persons currently executing decisions at public drug rehabilitation facilities or reform schools fall severely ill and are taken home for treatment, execution of decisions shall be temporarily suspended, and treatment periods shall be calculated into decision execution periods. After health recovers, if the remaining execution period is 03 months or more, such persons must continue to execute decisions. For persons suffering from critical illnesses or pregnant women, they shall be exempted from executing remaining periods.

4. Area-based People's Courts and provincial-level Police Directors shall have the competence to consider and decide on postponing or exempting execution of decisions specified in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article based on applications of persons who must execute decisions or applications of parents, guardians, or legal representatives of persons who must execute decisions aged between full 12 years and under 18 years. Decisions on exemption or postponement of decision execution must be sent to commune-level police offices that compiled request dossiers and persons who must execute decisions or their parents, guardians, or legal representatives.

Area-based People's Courts and provincial-level Police Directors shall have the competence to consider and decide on temporarily suspending or exempting execution of decisions specified in Clause 3 of this Article based on proposals of Principals of reform schools or heads of public drug rehabilitation facilities. Decisions on temporary suspension or exemption of decision execution shall be sent to commune-level police offices, reform schools, or public drug rehabilitation facilities, commune-level police offices of localities where they reside, persons who must execute decisions or parents, guardians, or legal representatives of persons who must execute decisions aged between full 12 years and under 18 years.

5. Persons who must execute decisions who fall severely ill or suffer critical illnesses whose places of residence cannot be determined and who fall into cases of temporary suspension or exemption of decision execution shall be taken to local medical establishments where reform schools or public drug rehabilitation facilities are headquartered for treatment.

6. Persons granted postponement, exemption, or temporary suspension of executing decisions on applying compulsory drug rehabilitation measures are responsible for reporting to commune-level police offices of localities where they reside.

During periods of postponement or temporary suspension of executing decisions on applying compulsory drug rehabilitation measures, if there are grounds to believe that such persons have fled, area-based People's Courts that issued postponement or temporary suspension decisions shall cancel such decisions and issue decisions forcing execution of decisions on applying compulsory drug rehabilitation measures. Decisions forcing execution of decisions on applying compulsory drug rehabilitation measures shall be sent to commune-level police offices that compiled request dossiers.

Article 40. Application of drug rehabilitation measures and management of illicit drug users for Vietnamese citizens deported home by foreign countries due to illicit drug use and drug addiction; foreign drug addicts living in VietNam

1. Vietnamese citizens deported to Viet Nam by foreign countries due to illicit drug use and drug addiction must undergo determination of drug addiction status upon returning home. If determined to be drug addicts, such persons must implement drug rehabilitation measures; if determined not to be drug addicts, management of illicit drug users shall be implemented in accordance with this Law.

2. Foreign drug addicts living in Viet Nam are responsible for registering to carry out voluntary drug rehabilitation at drug rehabilitation facilities in accordance with this Law and must pay all expenses related to rehabilitation. If failing to carry out voluntary drug rehabilitation, such persons shall be handled in accordance with law.

Article 41. Drug rehabilitation for persons held in temporary detention and inmates

1. The State shall apply appropriate rehabilitation measures for drug addicts who are persons held in temporary detention and inmates.

2. Superintendents of detention camps, superintendents of temporary detention facilities, heads of sub-detention facilities, and heads of custody houses shall closely coordinate with local medical establishments to implement provisions of Clause 1 of this Article.

Article 42. Post-rehabilitation management and support at places of residence

1. Persons who have completed voluntary drug rehabilitation, persons who have completed substitution treatment, and persons aged between full 12 years and under 18 years who have finished serving decisions on compulsory drug rehabilitation are subject to post-rehabilitation management for 01 year from the date of completing rehabilitation or finishing serving decisions.

2. Persons who have finished serving decisions on applying administrative handling measures of sending to compulsory drug rehabilitation are subject to post-rehabilitation management for 02 years from the date of finishing serving decisions.

3. If drug addicts have no stable place of residence after completing drug rehabilitation, they must register with public drug rehabilitation facilities regarding places of residence to implement post-rehabilitation management. Public drug rehabilitation facilities shall be responsible for notifying commune-level police offices of localities where they register residence to implement post-rehabilitation management.

4. Contents of post-rehabilitation management include:

a) Lists of persons subject to post-rehabilitation management;

b) Counseling, assistance, and prevention of drug relapse;

c) Residence management; summons; electronic monitoring; testing for narcotic substances in the body; prevention and deterrence of acts causing insecurity and disorder.

5. Social support during post-rehabilitation management includes:

a) Educational support for persons aged between full 12 years and under 18 years;

b) Vocational training support, loan borrowing, job seeking, and participation in social activities for community reintegration.

6. Chairpersons of Commune-Level People's Committees shall issue decisions and implement management and social support after drug rehabilitation.

7. Commune-Level Police Chiefs shall perform the following tasks:

a) Draw up lists of persons subject to post-rehabilitation management; manage residence; summon; apply electronic monitoring; test for narcotic substances in the body; prevent and deter acts causing insecurity and disorder;

b) Monitor, detect, and prevent illicit drug use acts.

8. The Government shall detail dossiers, sequences, procedures, management regimes, and support policies for persons subject to post-rehabilitation management.

Article 43. Harm reduction intervention measures for illicit drug users and drug addicts

1. Harm reduction intervention measures for illicit drug users and drug addicts are measures to reduce harms related to illicit drug use acts caused to themselves, their families, and communities.

2. Harm reduction intervention measures for illicit drug users and drug addicts include:

a) Substitution treatment;

b) Other measures prescribed by the Government.

Article 44. Responsibilities of families of drug addicts and communities

1. Families of drug addicts have the following responsibilities:

a) Assist drug addicts during drug rehabilitation, post-rehabilitation management, and community reintegration;

b) Coordinate with competent agencies and persons in compiling dossiers for applying drug rehabilitation measures; coordinate with relevant agencies, organizations, and units in assisting drug addicts during drug rehabilitation, post-rehabilitation management, and community reintegration.

2. Communities where drug addicts reside have the following responsibilities:

a) Encourage and assist drug addicts;

b) Coordinate with relevant agencies, organizations, and units in assisting drug addicts during drug rehabilitation, post-rehabilitation management, and community reintegration.

Article 45. Rights and obligations of drug rehabilitation trainees

1. Receive funding or financial support for drug rehabilitation in accordance with this Law.

2. Enjoy results of occupational therapy in accordance with the Government's regulations.

3. Fully and properly implement drug rehabilitation regulations and comply with instructions of specialized agencies.

4. Pay expenses related to drug rehabilitation in accordance with this Law.

5. Other rights and obligations prescribed by law.

Article 46. Rights and obligations of drug rehabilitation facilities

1. Drug rehabilitation facilities shall have the following rights:

a) Receive drug addicts for drug rehabilitation based on rehabilitation facility reception capacity;

b) Heads of drug rehabilitation facilities may decide to apply measures prescribed by law to manage, educate, and rehabilitate drug rehabilitation trainees;

c) Collect, expend, and manage finance related to drug rehabilitation in accordance with law;

d) Enjoy preferential regimes prescribed by law.

2. Drug rehabilitation facilities shall have the following obligations:

a) Comply with regulations on determining drug addiction status, drug rehabilitation processes, and management of persons during the period of compiling dossiers requesting admission to drug rehabilitation facilities;

b) Respect life, health, honor, dignity, and property of drug rehabilitation trainees, persons requested to determine drug addiction status, and persons during the period of compiling dossiers requesting admission to drug rehabilitation facilities;

c) Ensure rights of drug addicts during rehabilitation and issue certificates of completion of drug rehabilitation or completion of drug rehabilitation stages in accordance with this Law and relevant laws;

d) Organize occupational therapy for drug rehabilitation trainees in forms decided by competent agencies; use occupational therapy results to serve drug addicts in accordance with the Government's regulations;

dd) Heads of drug rehabilitation facilities shall decide to search for drug rehabilitation trainees who have fled from rehabilitation facilities;

e) Heads of drug rehabilitation facilities are obliged to ensure operational conditions of drug rehabilitation facilities, and publicly list drug rehabilitation expenses at facilities in accordance with law;

g) Prevent and combat drug smuggling into facilities;

h) Arrange separate areas or rooms for female drug rehabilitation trainees, and persons infected with group A or group B infectious diseases; for persons with differences between actual bodily sex and sex recorded in dossiers and curriculums, they shall be managed in separate rooms in zones according to actual bodily sex.

Private drug rehabilitation facilities must also arrange separate areas or rooms when receiving drug rehabilitation trainees aged between full 12 years and under 18 years;

i) Within 24 hours after drug rehabilitation trainees are received, arbitrarily terminate rehabilitation, complete rehabilitation processes, or complete certain stages, private drug rehabilitation facilities must notify commune-level police offices of localities where private drug rehabilitation facilities are headquartered.

Within 24 hours after drug rehabilitation trainees flee from rehabilitation facilities, public drug rehabilitation facilities and reform schools must notify commune-level police offices of localities that compiled dossiers requesting to send drug addicts for rehabilitation.

Article 47. Handling violations of obligations of drug rehabilitation trainees, persons under post-rehabilitation management, or substitution treatment trainees

1. Persons currently within drug rehabilitation periods or post-rehabilitation management periods who are sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment, after serving prison sentences while still having remaining drug rehabilitation periods or post-rehabilitation management periods, must continue to undergo drug rehabilitation or post-rehabilitation management for remaining periods.

2. During voluntary drug rehabilitation at home or in the community or substitution treatment, if drug addicts fail to comply with electronic monitoring measures, they shall be subject to compulsory drug rehabilitation.

3. During voluntary drug rehabilitation at home or in the community or substitution treatment, if drug addicts commit acts falling into cases subject to education measures in communes, wards, or special zones under laws on handling administrative violations, besides handling under laws on handling administrative violations, commune-level police offices of localities where they reside shall make records and organize reviews. If they continue to commit law violations not falling into cases handled under criminal law, they shall be subject to compulsory drug rehabilitation.

4. During voluntary drug rehabilitation at home or in the community or substitution treatment, if drug addicts violate laws not falling into cases handled in Clauses 1, 2, and 3 of this Article, besides handling under relevant laws, thefollowing measures shall be implemented:

a) First-time violation: Managing commune-level police offices shall make records and organize reminders;

b) Second-time violation: Managing commune-level police offices shall make records and organize reviews;

c) Third-time violation: Subject to compulsory drug rehabilitation.

Article 48. Drawing up and removing names from lists of drug addicts and persons under post-rehabilitation management

1. Commune-level police offices shall draw up lists of drug addicts and persons under post-rehabilitation management residing in their localities.

2. When drug addicts and persons under post-rehabilitation management change residence, departing commune-level police offices are responsible for notifying arriving commune-level police offices within 24 hours from the time such persons leave localities for inclusion in lists and coordinated management.

3. Commune-level police offices shall remove drug addicts from local drug addict lists in the following cases:

a) Having completed voluntary drug rehabilitation or completed substitution treatment;

b) Having to serve prison sentences; having decisions to be sent to compulsory education establishments, reform schools, or rehabilitation facilities;

c) Moving to reside in other localities;

d) Dying or being declared missing by Courts.

4. Commune-level police offices shall remove persons under post-rehabilitation management from local post-rehabilitation management lists in the following cases:

a) Having finished serving post-rehabilitation management decisions;

b) Having to serve prison sentences; executing decisions to be sent to compulsory education establishments or reform schools; having addiction determination results as drug addicts;

c) Moving to reside in other localities;

d) Dying or being declared missing by Courts.

CHAPTER VI

STATE MANAGEMENT OF DRUG PREVENTION AND CONTROL

Article 49. Contents of state management of drug prevention and control

1. Promulgate within their competence or submit to competent agencies for promulgation legal normative documents on drug prevention and control.

2. Provide professional directions and guide uniform application of provisions of law on drug prevention and control.

3. Suspend or annul within their competence or petition competent agencies to annul provisions on drug prevention and control contrary to this Law.

4. Decide on allocation of funds and ensure conditions for drug prevention and control activities.

5. Build and manage databases on drug prevention and control.

6. Make statistics on drug prevention and control; report to the National Assembly on drug prevention and control work.

7. Inspect, examine, commend and reward, and handle law violations on drug prevention and control.

8. Manage organizational systems, payrolls, human resources; train, coach, and foster professional skills on drug prevention and control.

9. Organize preliminary reviews, final reviews, and scientific research on drug prevention and control.

10. International cooperation in drug prevention and control.

Article 50. Responsibilities for state management of drug prevention and control

1. The Government shall perform unified state management of drug prevention and control.

2. The Ministry of Public Security shall be the focal agency assisting the Government in performing state management of drug prevention and control.

3. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-funded agencies shall, within their tasks and powers, shall implement and coordinate with relevant agencies and organizations in drug prevention and control.

4. People's Committees at all levels shall, within their tasks and powers, shallperform state management of drug prevention and control in localities.

CHAPTER VII

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN DRUG PREVENTION AND CONTROL

Article 51. Policies on international cooperation in drug prevention and control

The Socialist Republic of Viet Nam implements international cooperation policies in drug prevention and control on principles of respecting national independence and sovereignty with other countries; encourages international organizations, foreign organizations, and individuals to cooperate with Vietnamese agencies and organizations in mutually supporting material foundations, strengthening legal capacity, information, technology, training, and healthcare for drug prevention and control activities.

Article 52. Principles in international cooperation in drug prevention and control

1. The Socialist Republic of Viet Nam shall implement international treaties on drug prevention and control and other relevant international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam is a signatory on principles of respecting independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and mutual benefit; cooperate with countries, international organizations, foreign organizations, and individuals in drug prevention and control activities.

2. Based on international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam is a signatory, provisions of this Law, other relevant laws, and signed international agreements, competent Vietnamese agencies shall implement cooperation programs on drug prevention and control with relevant agencies of countries, international organizations, foreign organizations, and individuals.

Article 53. Controlled delivery

The Socialist Republic of Viet Nam shall implement requests for controlled delivery on the basis of international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam is a signatoryto detect and prosecute drug criminals. Decision on applying and conducting this measure shall comply with agreements between competent agencies of Viet Nam and relevant countries.

CHAPTER VIII

IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

Article 54. Amending, supplementing, and repealing a number of articles of Law on Handling Administrative Violations No. 15/2012/QH13, as amended and supplemented under Law No. 54/2014/QH13, Law No. 18/2017/QH14, Law No. 67/2020/QH14, Law No. 09/2022/QH15, Law No. 11/2022/QH15, Law No. 56/2024/QH15, and Law No. 88/2025/QH15

1. Amend and supplement Point a, Clause 2, Article 6 as follows:

"a) The statute of limitations for applying education measures in communes, wards, or special zones is 01 year from the date individuals commit violations specified in Clause 1, Article 90; 06 months from the date individuals commit violations specified in Clause 2, Article 90; 06 months from the date individuals commit for the last time one of violations specified in Clauses 3, 4, and 6, Article 90 of this Law;".

2. Amend and supplement a number of clauses of Article 90 as follows:

a) Amend and supplement Clause 7 as follows:

"7. Persons specified in Clauses 1, 2, 3, and 4 of this Article who have no stable place of residence shall be handed over to social social support facilities or child assistance facilities for management and education during periods of serving education measures in communes, wards, or special zones.";

b) Repeal Clause 5.

2. Amend and supplement Article 95 as follows:

"Article 95. Measures of sending to compulsory drug rehabilitation

Sending to compulsory drug rehabilitation is an administrative handling measure applied to persons committing violations of provisions of the Law on Drug Prevention and Control to undergo drug rehabilitation, labor, cultural learning, and vocational training under the management of public drug rehabilitation facilities.".

4. Amend and supplement Clause 2, Article 113 as follows:

"2. During periods of postponement or temporary suspension of executing decisions on sending to reform schools or compulsory education establishments, if such persons continue to commit violations that have been handled or if there are grounds to believe they have fled, area-based People's Courts that issued postponement or temporary suspension decisions shall cancel such decisions and issue decisions forcing execution of decisions on sending to reform schools or decisions on sending to compulsory education establishments.".

5. Supplement Point c after Point b, Clause 1, Article 124 as follows:

"c) Being requested to test for narcotic substances in the body.".

6. Amend and supplement Clauses 2 and 3, Article 131 as follows:

"2. For persons without stable places of residence or with stable places of residence but whose families disagree to manage, management during procedures for considering and deciding to apply measures of sending to reform schools or compulsory education establishments shall be assigned by agencies and competent persons compiling dossiers to commune-level police offices of localities where persons requested to be subject to measures of sending to reform schools or compulsory education establishments reside or commit violations to organize management.

Management periods shall be calculated from dossier compilation until competent persons send subjects to apply administrative handling measures under Court decisions.".

7. Amend and supplement Clause 1, Article 140 as follows:

"1. Family management is an alternative measure to handling administrative violations applied to minors who are subjects specified in Clauses 3 and 4, Article 90 of this Law when fully meeting the following conditions:

a) Having voluntarily declared and honestly repented of their violations;

b) Having a favorable living environment for implementing this measure;

c) Parents or guardians fully meeting conditions to implement management and voluntarily accepting responsibility for family management.".

8. Replace the phrase "taking to compulsory rehabilitation facilities " with the phrase "sending to compulsory rehabilitation " at Clause 3, Article 2; title of Article 115; Clause 2, Article 116; and Clause 9, Article 119; replace the phrase "Heads of compulsory rehabilitation facitilies, agencies, and units" with the phrase "Agencies, units" at Clause 4, Article 101; replace the phrase " Heads of compulsory rehabilitation facitilies" with the phrase "Heads of public rehabilitation facilities" at Clause 1, Article 115; replace the phrase "compulsoryrehabilitation facilities" with the phrase "sending to compulsory rehabilitationđưa đi cai nghiện bắt buộc" at Point c, Clause 1, Article 122; replace the phrase "compulsory rehabilitation facilities" with the phrase "public rehabilitation facilities" at Clause 5, Article 122.

9. Repeal the phrase "and Article 118" at Point a, Clause 2, Article 102; repeal the phrase ", taking to compulsory rehabilitation" at Clause 2, Article 105; Article 106; Clause 3, Article 111; Clause 3, Article 112; article title, Clause 1 and Clause 3, Article 113; Clause 2, Article 114; Clause 1, Clause 2, Point b, Clause 5, Article 131; and article title, Clause 1, Clause 4, Article 132; repeal the phrase "and taking to compulsory rehabilitation facilities" at Article 107; repeal the phrase "and decide on applying measure of sending to compulsory rehabilitation" at Clause 2, Article 108; repeal the phrase ", decide on sending to compulsory rehabilitation facilities" at article title and Clause 3, Article 110; repeal the phrase "or đecide on sending to compulsory rehabilitation facilities" at Clause 1, Article 110; repeal the phrase ", compulsory rehabilitation facilities" at Clause 1 and Clause 2, Article 110; article title, Clause 1 and Clause 2, Article 111; Article 112; Clause 2 and Clause 3, Article 114; Point b, Clause 1, Article 124; and Clause 2, Article 132; repeal the phrase ", Heads of compulsory rehabilitation" at Clause 3, Article 112; Clause 2, Article 114; and Article 117; repeal the phrase "and Heads of compulsory rehabilitation" at Clause 2, Article 132.

10. Repeal Clause 16, Article 2; Point d, Clause 2, Article 6; Article 96; Clause 2, Article 101; Article 103; Article 104; and Article 118.

Article 55. Effect

1. This Law shall take effect on July 01, 2026.

2. Law on Drug Prevention and Control No. 73/2021/QH14, as amended and supplemented under Law No. 81/2025/QH15, shall cease to be effective from the effective date of this Law.

Article 56. Transitional provisions

1. Persons currently undergoing drug rehabilitation when this Law takes effect shall continue to undergo drug rehabilitation until expiration of periods under Law on Drug Prevention and Control No. 73/2021/QH14, as amended and supplemented under Law No. 81/2025/QH15, and Resolution No. 190/2025/QH15 providing for handling several issues relating to arrangement of state apparatus organizations, and shall be subject to post-rehabilitation management under this Law.

2. Persons currently within drug rehabilitation dossier compilation periods before the effective date of this Law whose drug rehabilitation decisions are issued after the effective date of this Law shall have drug rehabilitation implemented in accordance with this Law.

3. Lawful activities related to drugs, animal feed, and aquatic feed containing narcotic substances or precursors licensed or permitted before the effective date of this Law shall continue to be implemented until expiration of licensed or permitted periods.

4. Drug rehabilitation facilities licensed to operate before the effective date of this Law shall continue to operate in accordance with Law on Drug Prevention and Control No. 73/2021/QH14, as amended and supplemented under Law No. 81/2025/QH15, until expiration of licenses.

5. If dossiers for licensing operation of drug rehabilitation facilities have been received before the effective date of this Law, licensing shall be implemented in accordance with Law on Drug Prevention and Control No. 73/2021/QH14, as amended and supplemented under Law No. 81/2025/QH15, and Resolution No. 190/2025/QH15.

This Law was passed by the 15th National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam at its 10th session on December 10, 2025./.

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For reference only