China's first bill on drug control will forbid drug-rehab centers from physically punishing or verbally humiliating addicts.

The draft law, which is under review at a top legislature session, requires drug-rehab centers to take preventative measures when addicts try to hurt themselves. And such centers should pay addicts for any work they do, states the bill.

The draft law, the first specifically designed to crack down on drug trafficking, advocates non-discriminatory environments for people undergoing rehabilitation with regard access to education, employment and social security support.

"Drug takers are law violators but they're also patients and victims," said Zhang Xinfeng, Vice Minister of Public Security, in a briefing to lawmakers of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. "Punishment is needed but education and assistance are more important."

Adopting a more humanitarian approach to drug users the law would allow many of them to recover in their own communities rather than being confined to drug-rehab centers as is the case now.

The bill stipulates such centers would only admit frequent intravenous drug takers, people who refuse community assistance or fail in community correction units and those who live in areas without the appropriate resources.

Rehabilitation centers would be organized to serve people of different ages, gender, and addictive conditions with abuse and humiliation strictly forbidden. The bill orders governments above county level to open drug-rehab centers as needed so addicts could volunteer to undergo treatment. 

The number of drug users grew 35 percent in the five years since 2000 to hit 1.16 million in early 2005, according to police data. Police estimate that China has more than 700,000 heroin addicts 69 percent of whom are under the age of 35.

Opium, heroin, marijuana, methamphetamine hydrochloride -- commonly known as "ice" -- morphine and cocaine are listed as banned drugs.

In addition to creating a more sympathetic environment for addicts the draft law is also designed to intensify anti-drug efforts.

Police will be authorized to force people suspected of taking drugs to take biological sample tests and known drug addicts would be registered and forced to undertake rehabilitation. Those who report their problem to police could be exempted from punishment.

The drug users would be required to sign agreements with relatives, employers, their places of education, with village or urban residents' committees who'd then educate and assist them for at least a year in an effort to help them shake off their addiction.

(Xinhua News Agency August 25, 2006)