The Chinese government is vigorously promoting methadone
replacement therapy to drug addicts in a bid to curb the spread of
AIDS and hepatitis caused by injections.
All together 101 methadone clinics have been set up in the
country and the number will increase to 305 by the end of the
year.
Methadone, a synthesized narcotic which is far less noxious than
morphine hydrochloride, is widely used internationally as a
substitution drug to help addicts break their addiction.
In China's methadone clinics, a cup of methadone drink that
helps addicts slake their thirst for drugs only costs 10 yuan.
Methadone weans addicts off drug injections, helping stop the
spread of AIDS and other contagious diseases.
Those undergoing methadone replacement therapy are required to
take regular urine tests. The results are recorded in a national
data base run by police authorities. According to the notice
recently issued by the Ministry of Public Security, those who
persist in using drugs will be sent to institutions for compulsory
drug abstinence.
"Methadone replacement therapy does more than just prevent
infectious diseases, such as AIDS and hepatitis. It helps addicts
rebuild family relations and will also reduce the number of drug
smuggling cases," said Yao Zhibin, deputy director of Guangdong Province's Health Bureau.
On August 3, Wang Longde, vice Minister of Health, upbraided
local officials who refused to set up methadone clinics. Wang said
some officials feared that methadone clinics would have a negative
effect on overseas investment, because businessmen might infer from
the presence of a methadone clinic in an area that there were many
drug addicts, and might abandon their investment plans.
The Regulation on AIDS Prevention and Control that came into
effect in March 2006 stipulates that governments at various levels
are duty-bound to launch drug replacement therapy to curb drug
abuse and the spread of AIDS.
The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Public Security and the
State Food and Drug Administration have jointly issued a document
demanding that governments at different levels cooperate closely to
promote methadone replacement therapy in communities, and strictly
enforce the regulations.
(Xinhua News Agency August 10, 2006)