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)