The number of synthetic drug users in Vietnam has tended to be on the rise, particularly among young people.

The information was given by Nguyen Xuan Lap, director of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs’ the Department for Social Vices Prevention. 

Lap cited a report from the Ministry of Public Security as saying that by late December last year, Vietnam had around 222,582 registered drug users. Of this, 13.5% were at rehabilitation centres and 19% were in prisons.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, up to 40% of drug users in Hanoi, Haiphong and HCM City had used synthetic drugs and these people face a higher risk of mental disorders than normal drug users.

Among synthetic drug users with mental disorders, roughly 72.2% suffer from hallucinations, 68.2% have delirium and 15% face depression. Many people who live with depression often want to commit suicide, posing difficulties for rehabilitation centres.

By June this year, Vietnam had 120 rehabilitation centres, including 105 state-owned centres, with a total 34,620 drug users. In the first six months of this year, 6,438 drug users were given the treatment.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha said that it was necessary to reform the treatment methods for drug users. The model of the community-based treatment should be developed, while reducing the number of drug users sent to rehabilitation centres.

Dtinews