The United Nations Office on Drug and Crime yesterday held a meeting to announce 2015 World Drug Report and Vietnam Drug Report.
For Vietnam, it was reported that heroin is still popularly used by most of drug addicts in addition to Methamphetamine. According to a report of the Ministry of Public Security, by end of 2014, the country has 204, 377 drug addicts and the rate of people using heroin is 72 percent and synthetic drugs is 14.5 percent.
Noteworthy, it was reported in the meeting that the rate of drug addicts living with HIV decreased for years. However, drug addicts living with HIV have been seen most of corners of the country. Northern provinces of Thai Nguyen, Lai Chau, Quang Ninh, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have the highest rate of 32 percent, 27.7 percent, 22.4 percent, 24 percent and 18.2 percent respectively.
In addition, the number of drug addicts access to drug treatment is on upward trend across the country. By May, 2015, the country has 162 rehabilitation centers treating more than 29,000 drug addicts with Methadone in 44 cities and provinces.
As per the plan, the country will open 245 Methadone rehab centers to admit around 80,000 drug addicts to help those who have become addicted to or dependent on methadone stop use of the drug safely
Speaking at the meeting, head of UNODC in Vietnam Christopher Batt said that It was estimated that a total of 246 million people - slightly over 5 per cent of those aged 15 to 64 years worldwide used an illicit drug .
Worse, an estimated 1.65 million of people who inject drugs were living with HIV and men are three times more likely than women to use drugs, while women are more likely to use more pain killers and sedative drugs.
