A drug trafficker is arrested. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has called on localities nationwide and ministries to actively implement the action month for drug prevention and control from June 1 to 30.

This year’s action month, in response to the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26, is entitled “Thinking before Starting”.

The PM asked for wide and deep information dissemination on the harmful consequences of taking drugs, particularly different kinds of methamphetamine, to raise public awareness about the issue.

The focus should be on new kinds of drugs which tend to spread among youth such as marijuana, ketamine, meth, “paper stamp”, which is impregnated with a harmful drug, “American weed”, and nitrous oxide-filled balloons, known as funky balls.

The Ministry of Information and Communications will guide the press and mobile Internet Service Providers to spread related information to people.

The Ministry of Education and Training is instructed to guide education establishments to organise education and information activities on drug prevention and control.

The PM asked the Ministry of Public Security to guide relevant forces to speed up investigations and crack down on drug trafficking rings, and strictly punish those who sell and encourage the use of drugs via the internet and social networks. Regular patrols and examination of drivers are needed to prevent drivers from using drugs.

The PM requested the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to increase management and supervision over drug users and take measures to ensure safety at drug detoxification centres, and organise cultural activities and sports at detoxification centres in response to the action month.

Last year, law enforcement handled 24,500 drug-related criminal cases and arrested more than 30,000 people. Recent statistics show there are more than 250,000 drug addicts on record, with the off-the-record figure estimated to be much higher. — VNS