China still faces a grim situation in narcotic drug trafficking and abuse, said Vice Minister of Public Security Luo Feng at a press conference sponsored by the State Council Information Office on March 1.

Luo stated there are four main aspects to the problem.

Multiple points of entry are a serious hazard, particularly for drugs from the Golden Triangle. In 2003, the Golden Triangle, notorious worldwide as a leading source of drugs, produced 70 to 80 tons of heroin, about 80 percent of which entered China overland across the Sino-Myanmar border. Opium produced in Afghanistan, northwest of China, topped 4,000 tons in 2003 and poses an expanding threat. Large quantities of new types of drugs have also entered the country from foreign soil through the southeastern coastal areas.

Widespread drug manufacturing has emerged as a new problem in China, said Luo. In 2003, Guangdong Province seized 5,000 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or "ice," accounting for 86.7 percent of the country's total seizures of the drug. At present, ice manufacturing has expanded from Guangdong and Fujian to more than 20 provinces and cities inland.

Smugglers around the world frequently change their methods of shipping large quantities of chemicals, both controlled and uncontrolled, that are used for drug production. In 2003, the National Narcotics Control Committee stopped shipments of 3,491 tons of these chemicals.

Domestic drug use continues to expand. In 2003, the number of registered drug addicts exceeded 1.0 million. Some 740,000 were active drug users, 643,000 of whom were taking heroin, and the numbers of those abusing ecstasy, ketamine and other narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances continued to increase. Young people, the unemployed and the migrant population have become high-risk groups for drug abuse in China. Drug users under the age of 35 account for 74 of all those registered.

Serious drug problems cause huge losses to national economy. Registered heroin users alone can consume more than 27 billion yuan worth of drugs a year.

Luo noted that drug problems are also associated with other criminal activity. About 80 percent of male drug users have committed other unlawful acts, and 80 percent of female ones engage in prostitution. Among 50,000 identified HIV/AIDS patients and carriers, 55.3 percent were infected by drug injection.

"The drug epidemic is not only a social problem, but also an important political issue concerning national security and the prosperity of the Chinese people. The Chinese government has confidence it will gradually solve the problem," said the vice minister.

A detailed work program has been mapped out to reach that goal, Luo reported. It includes measures taken to intercept drug sources, enhance drug abuse control and rehabilitation, carry out drug prevention education and promote international drug control cooperation.

(China.org.cn March 1, 2004)