International Archives - Page 110 of 111

Nov252014Jan272016

War on Drugs Redux: In Turkey this Time

War-on-Drugs-Redux-In-Turkey-this-Time Last month, President Erdoğan of Turkey gave a speech at International Symposium on Drug Policy and Public Health in Istanbul, in which he claimed that drug addiction is the result of a lack of moral values, and that religion is the best way to counter both problems. He went on to equate drug trafficking with terrorism, stating that his government will treat drug traffickers in the same way that it treats terrorists, and that a war on drugs is the appropriate stance for enforcement. A week earlier, the Turkish prime minister and health minister delivered a joint statement declaring a war on drugs.

In recent years, Turkey has experienced an escalating drug problem, and the government responded in June by increasing penalties against drug traffickers. In 2012, Turkey prosecuted over 130,000 people on drug charges, more than four times as many as in the previous year. A large percentage of these were young people smoking marijuana.

Poppies are a traditional crop in Turkey. Under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, it was classed as a “traditional opium producing country.” In the following years, Turkey reduced its production and eventually banned it. Then, in 1974, it introduced a licensing system for cultivation of poppies for medicinal purposes.

Because of its geographic position at the heart of trade routes going both east–west and north–south, Turkey has long been central to international drug smuggling. In the mid-90s, there was a scandal involving the Turkish government, its armed forces, and organized crime. The government had been economically impacted by the loss of trade due to the Gulf War and the Iraq embargo, and members of the government were complicit in allowing large amounts of heroin to flow westward into Europe.

Although mitigating drug use and smuggling is a legitimate challenge for the Turkish government, political incentives to conflate trafficking with terrorism exist. The Kurdish separatist movement known as the PKK is accused of financing its operations with money gained through the drug trade, and to the extent that it can be called a terrorist organization, fighting its source of funding could be fairly considered part of Turkey’s war on terrorism. However, the social implications of the “war on drugs” have been shown to be generally negative in the West, and the criminalization of recreational drug use results in the disenfranchisement and alienation of mainly young people who might otherwise be productive citizens.

If you, or someone you care about, needs help for a drug or alcohol addiction,
contact us at 1-888-457-3518 US, 0-808-120-3633 UK or 1-800-990-523 AU.
We’re here to help you take that first important step.

Nov122014Oct222019

Addiction in Afghanistan: No End in Sight

Alternative Treatment, International

In 2012, Afghanistan produced ninety-five percent of the opium consumed worldwide. This unintended consequence of the US-led war there has numerous ramifications, including a flood of heroin available on all continents, a huge source of funding for the Taliban, and a dire internal problem of addiction. In one province, a man named Abdurahim Mutar sold his sister to fund his habit. His wife medicated their children with opium to keep them quiet, and his mother and brother are also addicted.

Lack of information about opiate addiction, combined with availability of cheap drugs, is part of the reason for the ongoing epidemic. Abdurahim and his wife claim they were not aware of the dangers to their children when they force-fed them opium, saying, “It’s very common here.” He has been addicted for thirteen years, having started when he joined the mujahideen.

It is estimated that Afghanistan has over a million addicts. Treatment options are severely limited, with approximately ten thousand addicts receiving treatment each year. Thirteen out of thirty-four provinces in the nation do not offer any kind of treatment at all. Compounding the issue is the fact of police corruption and a general laxity in enforcement.

Also problematic is the addiction rate in neighboring Iran, which has long been among the world’s highest but also recently has seen a rise in the use of crystal meth. Because Afghanistan has a high rate of unemployment, many Afghanis cross the border into Iran for work, where they are introduced to cheap and readily available opium. In some rural villages, drug use is as high as thirty percent, and the attendant problems—crime, health problems, and zero productivity—continue to erode the war-torn economy and social fabric.

The Taliban, a product of the Russian occupation of the 1980’s, originally opposed drug cultivation on the basis that the Koran forbade the use of any intoxicants. After 9/11 and the beginning of the war in Afghanistan, the Taliban took advantage of the weakness of the new government, corruption, and the fact that opium cultivation was profitable to farmers and tribal leaders, and reversed their stance on the morality of the drug market. The problem persists, intractably, with devastating consequences.

Aug052014Apr252025

White House Recently Met to Discuss America’s Opioid Crisis

Articles, Education, International, United States

On June 19, the White House held a summit conference on Opioids, hosted by Office of National Drug Control Policy Acting Director Michael Botticelli. Calling the opioid problem in America an epidemic, Mr. Botticelli—himself a recovering alcoholic—introduced Attorney General Eric Holderer and Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin, who discussed possibilities for new ways to view drug addiction and offered their thoughts on how policy changes could be effected that could stem the tide of drug abuse.

Among the items discussed was the potential for saving lives with the drug naloxone, which can reverse the effects of an opiate overdose and prevent respiratory arrest. Statistics were given indicating a fourfold increase since 1999 in annual deaths attributable to prescription pain medications (twofold for heroin). Doctor Nora Volkow, Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, gave a brief talk on the latest research into addiction.

To watch videos of the presentations, click on the following links:

Opening Session
Rx Drug and Heroin Epidemic in the States
Robert Morrison, Executive Director, National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD)
Panel I – Prevention, Intervention and Treatment
Dr. Hillary Kunins, Acting Executive Deputy Commissioner, Division of Mental Hygiene, Assisting Commissioner for the Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Use, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH); Dr. Traci Green, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Epidemiology, Brown University; Dr. Josh Sharfstein, Secretary, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Panel II: Overdose and Infectious Disease Prevention
Nancy Hale, Program Director, Operation UNITE; Dr. Michelle Lofwall, Associate Professor, Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky College of Medicine; Dr. Ed Bernstein, Professor and Vice Chair for Academic Affairs, Emergency Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine
Addiction Research
Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse

Jul092014Mar032016

Thank You to Our Visitors from the Thanyarak Institute

Articles, Education, International

Earlier in the month, we had an opportunity to host a large group of visitors from the Ministry of Public Health, the Princess Mother National Institute on Drug Abuse Treatment (PMNIDAT or the Thanyarak Institute) and the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB).

The Thanyarak Institute is Thailand’s first and largest treatment center with seven branches located throughout the country. It is under the supervision of the Department of Medical Services, Ministry of Public Health.

With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) becoming an important component in addiction treatment at the national level, our visitors were able to experience both of our world class facilities and learned more about how CBT can be professionally integrated into a treatment program.

This was only the first visit with more cooperation planned between DARA and the Thanyarak Institute.

In addition to staffs from the Thanyarak Institute, our VIP visitors also include:

Dr. Isara Chaiwiriyabunya, M.D., Director, Udon Thani Cancer Hospital, Department of Medical Services, Ministry of Public Health
Mrs. Suparp Chaiyanit, Senior Officer, Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health
Mrs.Anchalee Sirisabphya, Director of Drug Demand Reduction Bureau, Office of Narcotics Control Board
Ms.Naruemon Kamonwatin, Plan and Policy Analyst, Senior Professional Level, Office of Narcotics Control Board
Ms.Tanittha Poonsin, Plan and Policy Analyst, Practitioner Level, Office of Narcotics Control Board
Ms.Chutima Thitipongkornpuchara, Law Enforcement Office, Professional Level, Office of Narcotics Control Board
Dr. Prapapun Chuchareon, Director, Mahidol University’s ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Addiction Studies Program
Ms. Narumon Arayaphiphat, Deputy Director, Thanyarak Kohnkaen Hospital

Jul012014Apr252025

ASEAN Conference 2014

Education, International

Earlier in the month we had an opportunity to join the ASEAN Conference 2014: Addiction Treatment: Future Challenges and Opportunities.

The ASEAN Conference 2014: Addiction treatment: Future challenges and opportunities was held by the Princess Mother National Institute on Drug Abuse Treatment (PMNIDAT), Department of Medical Services, on June 11-13, 2014. Participants included representatives from all ten ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries which comprise of Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia.

This is the second time that representatives and policy makers from ASEAN officially joined together to share experiences and exchange knowledge in addiction treatment and rehabilitation, with the key topic being “Best Practices in Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation”.

Another important objective of the conference was to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with each country pledging to:

1. Improve the academic cooperation in developing addiction treatment and rehabilitation system among ASEAN countries.
2. Share best practices and information, as well as establish a network on addiction treatment and rehabilitation to further enhance existing clinical guidelines.
3. Share in human resource development and education which include training programs, study visits, and exchange programs.
4. Develop and enhance standard drug treatment and rehabilitation services including accreditation and certification of staff and facilities.

As Asia’s premier drug and alcohol treatment center, DARA Thailand was invited by Mahidol University’s ASEAN Institute for Health Development to join the conference.

Additionally, Martin Peters, DARA Thailand’s Treatment Program Director, was also invited to facilitate and lead group discussions by ASEAN representatives on research cooperation, best practices, clinical practice guidelines, human resource development, certification of addiction professionals, and standards for addiction treatment and rehabilitation.