Drug use rises in Vietnam's biggest city

The number of drug users in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City has doubled over the past five years to more than 19,200, local on-line newspaper Thanh Nien (Young People) News reported Wednesday.

"The number of other undocumented drug users can be 50 or 70 percent of that figure, including 5,724 people who have fled from treatment centers," the report quoted Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Si Quang from the municipal Police Department as saying.

"There has been a rise in the use of methamphetamine, which led to serious and extremely serious crimes," Quang said. According to him, drug use has become very common in the service sector including bars, clubs and hotels.

Quang said the relapse rates among drug users are high. "Home and community-based treatment programs have low effects and a high relapse chance," he said.

According to a survey conducted by the city's Police Department, nearly 78 percent of 19,200 documented drug users have been found using drugs again after rehabilitation.

Nearly 90 percent of drug users are men and more than 75 percent are either unemployed or working in unstable jobs. Over 67 percent of drug users have been fined for administrative violations or serving criminal convictions.

Currently, about 500 drug users are being held either for criminal investigation or serving a conviction, according to the survey. Community-based rehabilitation has faced many difficulties due to limited personnel and facilities.

Since 2008, methadone treatment programs have received more than 22,000 among a total of 204,000 drug users nationwide. The programs are likely to fall short of the target of reaching 80,000 people by the end of this year.

Last month, Ho Chi Minh City launched a center for drug users with the use of Suboxone, the first facility in the country to offer this treatment option. Endi