Actively responding to World Drug Day - 26 June to raise awareness of young people about the harmful effects of drugs

Responding to the "All people's day to prevent and combat drugs", on June 25, Binh Duong provincial Steering Committee for the prevention and control of crime and social evils and building a movement of all people to protect national security (referred to as the 138 Steering Committee) launched activities to raise people's awareness, especially young people, about the increasingly complicated drug problem.

Representatives of provincial 138 Steering Committee and local 138 Steering Committees burn effigies symbolizing the determination in the work of preventing, fighting and repelling drugs from the community.

Raise public awareness

On the morning of June 25 at Tan Uyen City Square, the Provincial 138 Steering Committee held a launching ceremony to respond to the "All People's Day against Drug (June 26)". Nguyen Loc Ha, Member of Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of Provincial People's Committee - Head of Provincial 138 Steering Committee; Colonel Tran Van Chinh, Deputy Director of Provincial Public Security - Deputy Head of Provincial 138 Steering Committee; together with representatives of departments, branches and unions of the province and localities attended the ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Ha affirmed that drugs are a great danger to humanity. Consequences of drug evils hurt people's health and peaceful life, cause pain and loss to many families and communities. Drugs give rise to crimes that affect social life, degrade the race, and hinder the development of all aspects of the country in general and Binh Duong province in particular.

Drug crime prevention and control in the province has achieved important results in recent years. However, drug criminals constantly change their methods and tricks to operate more sophisticated, dangerous, aggressive and reckless. Many new drugs appear with many eye-catching forms to attract users; drug addicts are becoming younger. Drugs entering schools is causing anxiety and frustration among the population, threatening the stable and sustainable development of the province...

According to a report by Provincial Police, in the first 6 months of 2023, Drug Crime Investigation Police force under Provincial Police applied synchronous professional measures, thereby detecting and arresting more than 270 cases with nearly 570 drug offenders. Compared to the same period in 2021, there was an increase of 4 cases (or 1.48%) and 48 offenders (ie 9.23%). In which, there were more than 50 cases with more than 140 persons illegally trading drugs; more than 180 cases with more than 260 persons illegally possessing narcotics… Evidence seized were more than 66,1810g of heroin; more than 13kg of synthetic drugs; 7 guns, 18 bullets and other relevant evidence. Police forces prosecuted and investigated nearly 260 cases with more than 480 accused; administratively sanctioned 5 cases with 75 offenders committing the act of illegal use of drugs.

Colonel Do Ngoc An, Head of the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department under Provincial Police, said: “Binh Duong Public Security cooperated to successfully remove many transnational and interprovincial drug lines and projects. For example, we cooperated with Drug Crime Investigation Police Department under Ministry of Public Security and Thanh Hoa Provincial Police to remove and eradicate drug lines from Laos to Vietnam to other provinces, including Binh Duong; arrested key offenders who bought, sold, stored and transported narcotic substances, and strictly handled according to the law. In addition, Provincial Police also collaborated with local Party and authorities to regularly pay attention to the care and education of drug addicts and rehabilitated persons. Recently, Tan Uyen City, Provincial Youth Union in collaboration with Provincial Police organized visits to groups, people, who turn over a new leaf or after rehabilitation, to capture their thoughts, aspirations and gave spiritual encouragement so that these people confidently start a new and more beautiful life.

Determined to push drugs out of the community

Expressing the determination to repel drug evils, aim at a clean, safe and healthy community, in the ceremony on the morning of June 25, the Provincial 138 Steering Committee and 138 Steering Committee of districts, towns and cities carried out activities to raise people's awareness about this work. The ceremony included a ritual of burning anti-drug effigy; a decorated truck parade through streets… On this occasion, the Provincial 138 Steering Committee rewarded 4 collectives and 43 excellent individuals in contest of drawing and creating propagation pictures against drug and effects of drugs. At the same time, Tan Uyen City also awarded prizes of the design contest of effigy, decorated truck against drug to 12 winning units and localities.

Colonel Tran Van Chinh, Deputy Director of Provincial Public Security, presents certificates of merit to students who won high prizes in the painting competition on drug prevention and control.

On the morning of June 25, the 138 Steering Committee of Bau Bang district also held a launching ceremony of peak month against drug. Speaking at the ceremony, Lieutenant Colonel Lam Hong Vu, Head of Bau Bang District Police, said that recently, drug crime and abuse in the district has become complicated. Therefore, the district's 138 Steering Committee launched a campaign of anti-drug in order to make a change in people's awareness of the harmful effects of drugs; uphold the sense of responsibility of departments, sectors and people in this work. From there, to mobilize the strength of the whole district to detect and denounce drug crimes; propose practical measures to help and rehabilitate drug addicts; encourage them to actively participate in social activities to prevent relapse.

The launching ceremony in response to All People's Day for Anti-Drug organized by the Provincial 138 Steering Committee attracts nearly 2,000 participants, who are officials, civil servants, youth union members, women's union members, veterans, workers.

Senior Colonel Lam Hong Vu emphasized that for this peak month to be effective, it is necessary to carry out propagation on a large scale and go into depth. Through mass organizations at grassroots level to propagate, educate and raise people’s awareness of crime, encourage people to actively participate in and assist functional forces in fighting and suppressing crime and eliminating social evils.

Previously, on June 24, the 138 Steering Committee of Bac Tan Uyen district also held a launching ceremony to respond to the "All People's Day against Drug (June 26)". Participants were local leaders and more than 700 people. Speaking at the ceremony, Tran Van Phuong, Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee - Head of the 138 Steering Committee of Bac Tan Uyen district, said that the anti-drug work of the district in recent years has had positive changes. Inter-sectoral cooperation in anti-corruption becomes tighter.  Solutions always receive high consensus from the people.

The organization of "All People's Day against Drug (June 26)" carried out by the 138 Steering Committee of Bac Tan Uyen district will continue to highlight the role of propaganda to raise people's awareness about the harmful effects of drugs, step by step repel this crime and resolutely not let drugs enter schools, protect the safety of the young generation of the country and the entire people.

Nguyen Loc Ha, Member of Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of Provincial People's Committee - Head of Provincial 138 Steering Committee: Unite, prevent, repel and eliminate drugs from social life

Combating drug is the responsibility of all members of society to combat the common danger of the community. We must unite, prevent, repel and eliminate drugs from social life. Every citizen should see drugs as the enemy of development. Together resolutely fight against drugs for a peaceful life, development of ourselves, our families and the community.

With the theme "Anti-drug: drastic - effective - enhancing responsibility to proactively coordinate for a drug-free community" of "Drug Prevention Action Month and World Drug Day (June 26)" in 2023 is an opportunity for Binh Duong province to show the determination of the entire Party Committee, authorities at all levels and the entire people, to declare war on drug evils in order to join hands in preventing, reducing and repelling drugs out of the social life, contributing to building a prosperous, beautiful and civilized Binh Duong homeland".

Reported by H.Phước, Q.Anh - Translated by Ngoc Huynh