Gov’t submits national target program on drug control and prevention

Under the program, the Government plans to allocate over VND22.4 trillion (US$0.928 billion) for drug prevention and control through the end of this decade.

Of the total funding, over VND 17.7 trillion will source from the central budget while the rest will be from localities and other legal sources.

The program aims to prevent drug-related crimes from early and from afar, from production sites, in key hotspots, border localities, at sea and air routes.

Nearly 230,000 people across Viet Nam are currently addicted to drugs or using them illegally, according to the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security.

About 60 per cent of first-time drug users fall between the ages of 15 and 25, with some as young as 13. Around 95 per cent of them use synthetic drugs, 70-75 per cent are aged 17-35.

Persistent use of synthetic drugs can lead to psychosis and impaired behaviors, posing risks to users and those around them. In 2023, nearly 1,500 synthetic drug users experienced psychosis, resulting in 30 criminal cases./.