Drug abuse in Mon State has risen sharply since the February 2021 coup

June 7, 2022

HURFOM: A widespread failure with the rule of law coupled with a dysfunctional education system is thought to have contributed to 40% of youth in Ye Township, Mon State and Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division to succumb to drug abuse.

“My son had finished his first-year university exam but he quit his studies after the coup. He doesn’t go to university now, and does not have a job. He began to use drugs. He and his three friends were arrested for using drugs at the Kan Pauk Gyi Bridge on May 30,” said a mother of a university student from Yebyu Township.

The ready availability of drugs in villages since the coup has been noticeable.

“Illegal drugs are being sold right under my nose. There is no arrest or punishment from the authorities. The country’s (rule of law) is totally destroyed. The village Administrators do not take action against the drug trade, because they are afraid of endangering their own lives,” a local resident from Ye Town told HURFOM.

Parents of children who have become addicted are trying to find help, but these attempts in many cases result in failure, due to many challenges.

“We’ve sent him to many places to help end his drug addiction. We sent him to the New Mon State Party (NMSP) Rehabilitation Center, but he stayed for just two months before returning home. We’ve heard that there is a good clinic in Mawlamyine but he didn’t take the prescribed medicine offered by the clinic. Again, we’ve sent him to “Youth Rehabilitation Center” but he ran away back to the village just after a week,” said one father whose son is battling his addiction.

Part of the problem includes both ease of access and low cost.

“A WY tablet (methamphetamine) is priced at only 1,000 Kayt. If we don’t give him pocket money, he can get this relatively small amount of money from his friends. WY tablets are cheap and easily available so the future of youth in Mon State is unthinkable as this condition continues,” said one Ye resident.

Individuals are also abusing Kratom leaves. Usage of this drug is the highest in Mon State while abuse of WY tablets stands at second place. According to Mon State Police records, there were 406 drug abuse cases in 2019. In 2020, drug abuse cases more than doubled — with 844 cases recorded.

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News