During an initiative within Tan Son Hoa Ward’s “Happy Ward” campaign, an exhibition corner dedicated to drug prevention attracted a considerable number of residents. Standing thoughtfully before displays illustrating novel narcotics disguised as everyday candies and beverages, 54-year-old Le Thi Hoa remarked, “Seeing this reveals the true danger. A fleeting moment of curiosity could easily ensnare our youth. Adults must provide the younger generations early warnings.”
As early as 2025, Tan Son Hoa was selected by the HCMC Department of Public Security as one of 39 pioneering wards to implement the “Drug-Free Ward” model. Grounded in Resolution 02-NQ/TU, the ward’s Party Committee issued a specialized resolution outlining a clear roadmap and delegating specific responsibilities. Their guiding principle emphasizes “reducing supply, curbing demand, and mitigating harm,” with a primary focus on grassroots prevention.
Tang Nhon Phu Ward, covering over 19km2 post-merger with a population exceeding 208,000 across 86 neighborhoods, is a bustling hub for universities, enterprises, and the Hi-tech Park.
Lieutenant Colonel Cao Huynh Thanh, the ward’s Police Chief, noted that the densely populated area, bordered by multiple localities and experiencing rapid growth in accommodation services, harbors latent complexities regarding public order. While the ward initially targeted a minimum of 30 percent of its neighborhoods to achieve “drug-free” status in 2026, all 86 neighborhoods have voluntarily registered to strive for this benchmark within the year.
Linh Xuan Ward presents an intricate demographic landscape, accommodating a dense concentration of students and laborers from the Linh Trung I Export Processing Zone and surrounding universities.
Following an awareness session on the perils of narcotics held at HCMC University of Technology (HUTECH), second-year student Nguyen Thuy An shared: “Learning drugs can be camouflaged as everyday products makes us incredibly anxious and highly vigilant.”
Secretary Nguyen Thi Be Hai stated the locality aims to actualize its drug free objective by 2028. The ward is thoroughly screening its territory, managing addicts, and assigning specific oversight responsibilities to local police and neighborhood groups.
At the conference reviewing the 15-year implementation of Directive 48-CT/TW and disseminating Resolution 02-NQ/TU, HCMC Party Committee Secretary Tran Luu Quang affirmed that constructing a drug-free city is a pervasive objective. It intertwines security assurance with human development, serving as the bedrock for sustainable growth and cultivating a livable metropolis. He reiterated the city’s unwavering determination to accomplish this milestone by 2030.
Embracing this, local wards are not solely intensifying crackdowns but also accelerating digital transformation, leveraging technology for public awareness and the handling of drug-related incidents.
In Tang Nhon Phu Ward, a digital management map has been deployed, providing a comprehensive overview of the local situation and incident locations. This empowers law enforcement to monitor suspects with meticulous detail.
By analyzing spatial distributions, the ward police can pinpoint potential linkages between suspicious individuals. The map additionally displays violation histories, facilitating the identification of establishments prone to generating social problems.
Similarly, Xuan Hoa Ward has charted a roadmap aiming for over 50 percent of its neighborhoods to be drug-free by 2026, scaling up to 100 percent with sustainable maintenance by 2027.
Ward People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen Hung Hau emphasized five foundational pillars for execution, namely stringent territorial management, aggressive suppression of criminal activities, systematic rehabilitation and post-rehab support, mobilization of public participation, and robust digital transformation.
The “Ward Police” Facebook Fanpages, such as the one operated by Tan Son Hoa Ward, alongside the broader “HCMC Police SOS” application, have evolved into dynamic two-way interactive channels. Citizens can seamlessly report information which law enforcement promptly receives and acts upon.
On the afternoon of March 19, the Binh Phu Ward People’s Committee convened a conference to execute Resolution 02-NQ/TU (dated December 12, 2025) of the HCMC Party Executive Committee regarding the enhancement of crime and drug prevention, striving towards a drug-free HCMC by 2030.
Binh Phu Ward is endeavoring to ensure 30 percent of its neighborhoods meet the drug-free criteria by 2026, alongside establishing a 100-percent drug-free environment across all educational institutions, medical facilities, mass organizations, agencies, and enterprises.
A unifying strategy across these localities is treating each neighborhood as a “fortress” and every household as a “battleground.” Drug prevention efforts are inextricably linked with the “All People Protecting National Security” movement, factoring into annual cultural title evaluations and emulation reviews. In many areas, officials and party members are expected to be exemplary role models; should their relatives commit violations, their own accountability will be subject to scrutiny.
Given HCMC’s expansive territory and transient population, coupled with increasingly sophisticated criminal tactics and surging cybercrime, achieving a drug-free city by 2030 poses a formidable challenge. Nevertheless, the proactive issuance of thematic resolutions, the formulation of tailored plans with explicit goals, and the clear delegation of tasks reflect an immense resolve radiating from the grassroots level.
