The national commission for the treatment and rehabilitation of narcotics users has decided to immediately put into action a strategy to treat addicts. This change was implemented as a direct result of official government policy.
At the meeting of the committee on the treatment and rehabilitation of narcotics abusers were Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and executives from the Ministry of Public Health. An emergency strategy to combat the drugs epidemic by establishing screening facilities in each subdistrict was approved by the assembly. Based on input from the public, the plan also asks on local authorities to work together to help addicts recover.
For the drug rehabilitation effort, all general and central hospitals will open psychiatric and narcotics units for inpatients. The new inpatient wards have reached 50% completion and will shortly be introduced across all provinces. In addition, each local medical center shall establish psychiatric and drugs task forces, or name the organizations responsible for these areas of care.
Six of the nine subsidiary laws enacted under the Narcotics Code have become law. The remaining three are receiving priority attention so that drafts may be submitted for Cabinet review and ultimately passed into law.
