SE Asia strives to cut youth drug abuse

SE Asia strives to cut youth drug abuse

By Paul Alexander

HANOI, Vietnam (AP): Youth drug abuse continues to rise in
Southeast Asia despite legal crackdowns, threatening the "fabric
of society," officials at a regional anti-drug conference said
Thursday.

They urged a cooperative global effort that would incorporate
young people's views and encourage alternative healthy
activities.

"Undoubtedly, drug abuse is extremely dangerous to the
survival of a nation, and it may even endanger mankind in
general," said a paper presented by Bersama, an Indonesian
umbrella group of anti-drug organizations.

"Drug trafficking has such a huge criminal network that they
have the ability to impose their will on society. Drug abuse is
not merely a single problem; it is always associated with other
aspects of life, such as health, security and socio-economy."

Maria-Pia de Palo, program officer for the U.N. Drug Control
Program's Regional Center for East Asia and the Pacific, said the
biggest rise has been in synthetic-type drugs, including
amphetamine-type stimulants like Ecstasy.

"There are also disturbing indications that young people are
increasingly being exposed to a popular youth culture and mass
media messages that are more tolerant toward the use of certain
illicit drugs," she said.

De Palo said youths must be involved in seeking solutions.

"Young people are usually considered a target population and
sometimes even a problem instead of a resource in the prevention
of drug abuse," she said. "It is fundamental that their voices be
heard in the attempt to raise awareness among their peers, policy
makers and the public at large."

In recent years, Vietnam, Indonesia and other countries have
stiffened their penalties for drug abuse and trafficking. In
Vietnam, 34 people were sentenced to death for drug trafficking
in their first eight months of the year.

"The government of Vietnam is deeply concerned that drug abuse
continues to be more and more serious, particularly among young
people, which endangers ... the fabric of society and erodes
cultural values and the family," Le Minh Huong of the Ministry of
Public Security said in an opening speech.

Despite such efforts, drug addiction continues to rise,
particularly among the young.

"National efforts are important but not enough," said a paper
by the ASEAN Secretariat. "There should also be concerted efforts
at the regional and international levels with a global approach
and participation of all sectors in the societies."

Not every country has seen increases.

Singapore said its number of drug-abuse arrests has declined
since peaking in 1994 and that youths comprise only 6.8 percent
of all drug abusers.

It credited a number of initiatives, including a high-profile
annual campaign introduced in 1995 that is launched each year
with a variety of concerts featuring popular local and
international stars espousing anti-drug messages.

"The annual campaign aims to raise the awareness of the
general public toward the detrimental social and economic effects
of drug abuse, and to introduce alternative healthy lifestyles to
our youths," a paper from the island-nation said.