PHUKET: Drug-takers on Phuket have switched from ya bah tablets to ya ice as Phuket law enforcers gain ground, Phuket Vice Governor Jamleran Tipayapongtada said today.
An alliance between Phuket and Phang Nga in trying to wean addicts from drugs and is likely to see a new centre for treatment of drug addiction established in Phang Nga, the vice governor said.
Police were handicapped because of the low number of officers and lack of technology when it came to testing people for drugs, he said.
However, so far this year drugs cases were down by 17 percent overall and ya bah methamphetamine cases were down by an encouraging 50 percent.
Most of those arrested, though, Khun Jamleran noted, were smalltime drug dealers who tended to reoffend and to add to the crowding problem at Phuket Provincial Prison.
The hope is that the rehab centre in Phang Nga will help more people beat the problem.
An alliance between Phuket and Phang Nga in trying to wean addicts from drugs and is likely to see a new centre for treatment of drug addiction established in Phang Nga, the vice governor said.
Police were handicapped because of the low number of officers and lack of technology when it came to testing people for drugs, he said.
However, so far this year drugs cases were down by 17 percent overall and ya bah methamphetamine cases were down by an encouraging 50 percent.
Most of those arrested, though, Khun Jamleran noted, were smalltime drug dealers who tended to reoffend and to add to the crowding problem at Phuket Provincial Prison.
The hope is that the rehab centre in Phang Nga will help more people beat the problem.
Let me preempt the kudo's that are coming and mention that a decline in cases when you are admittedly short of manpower does not indicate much. I would further question whether a move from ya-ba to ya-ice is a good thing. Finally,admitting that you are busting users and not providers means at most you are altering demand and having little or no affect on the real social problems (lucrative abundant supply and lots of impetus to use).
Interdiction has failed in every country, whether you call it a war on drugs or war on citizenry is a matter of perspective. What was proven effective in Baltimore, London and Berlin is education, open anonymous free rehab facilities, investment in rehabbed users (urban renewal in those cases) and most of all hope for uneducated poor. In a social structure that encourages a party atmosphere, offers little education and very little hope this is an extremely up hill battle. The world continues to attack this problem with the same tired methods and gets the same tired results. Perhaps it's time to try a new approach?
Posted by Martin on September 11, 2012 16:43