Beijing has approximately 26,000 registered drug addicts,
Beijing News reported on Thursday. However, sources with the
municipal anti-drug commission said that the number of drug addicts
in Beijing is actually far higher.
Registered drug addicts account for 0.186 percent of Beijing's
total population, reported Beijing News, citing the anti-drug
commission.
Only 4,000 of the registered drug users are aged 35 and above,
while young people - persons aged 35 years and under - account for
about 88 percent.
Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau ordered on Wednesday
that all drug addicts in the municipality must get themselves
registered before June 10, and the government will provide
rehabilitation assistance.
Those who fail to report themselves to the municipal government
before the deadline will face three to six months of compulsory
rehabilitation.
The anti-drug commission has promised that all information about
the drug users will be kept private and confidential.
Compulsory registration constitutes a part of the city's
four-month campaign, launched on Wednesday, to ascertain the exact
number of drug users. Citizens are also encouraged to report drug
addicts to public security organizations.
Beijing prosecuted more than 5,600 drug-related cases and seized
some 6,100 suspects between 2000 and 2003.
As of 2003, there were some 1,348 registered cases of HIV, 716
of which were as a result of needle-sharing among drug users.
In related news, special columns will appear in 41 major local
newspapers from 28 provinces to support the country's "people's
war" on drugs beginning June 1, the Public Security Ministry said
at a meeting in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province on Tuesday.
According to the ministry, this newspaper campaign is the first
of its kind. The National Narcotics Control Commission and related
departments initiated the unusual campaign to complement the
nationwide battle against drug-related crimes.
"It is crucial to increase the public's awareness of drug
prevention. This is why we chose local mainstream newspapers to
publicize the information," said an official of the ministry.
The "people's war" against drugs is aimed at identifying the
sources of drugs, curbing drug-related crimes, and preventing a
rise in the number of drug addicts.
China's central authorities have attached great importance to
the anti-drug work. Last year, the Standing Committee of the
Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee
held a special meeting to discuss anti-drug policies, as a result
of which the State Council issued a five-year plan of anti-drug
activities.
China had an estimated 791,000 drug addicts in 2,102 counties at
the end of 2004, up 6.8 percent from 2003.
(Xinhua News Agency May 13, 2005)