US backs drug control in Laos

Drug use and trafficking in Laos is set to decline after the Lao government received funding assistance yesterday from the United States of America.

Mr Soubanh Srithirath ( right ) shakes hands with Mr Ravic R. Huso after signing an agreement on drug control assistance.

The US government provided more than 7.7 billion kip (US$900,000) for the government's drug control activities around the country during 2008-2009.

A signing ceremony for the agreement on drug control assistance took place at the Maitichit Guesthouse in Vientiane . The ceremony was attended by Minister to the President's Office and Chairman of the Lao National Commission for Drug Control and Supervision, Mr Soubanh Srithirath, and US Ambassador to Laos , Mr Ravic R. Huso.

US$500,000 of the funds will be used to implement a Crop Control Project, US$300,000 will go towards law enforcement and US$ 100,000 will be used for drug demand reduction.

Mr Soubanh said drug use in Laos was still a problem for socio-economic development, and this assistance would help to improve the situation.

Mr Huso said the funding would help the government's projects to achieve their targets in reducing drug use in the country.

The Lao government has been working to eradicate drug abuse in line with a memorandum of understanding Laos signed with Asean and China to eliminate drug abuse in the region by 2015.

The national programme to eliminate opium poppy cultivation between 2000 and 2005 was a great success.

The national programme strategy for the post opium scenario 2006-09 has also seen many successes with a continued reduction in the number of opium addicts, activities to address amphetamine abuse, and new projects in Oudomxay, Phongsaly and Huaphan provinces.

After seven years of hard work, opium poppy cultivation decreased by more than 93 percent from nearly 27,000 hectares in 1998 to just 1,800 in 2005.

In the same period the number of opium addicts fell by more than 68 percent and in 2008 there were less than 12,000 addicts.

By KHAMPHONE SYVONGXAY
(Latest Update September 17, 2008)