Drug addicts in Vietnam spend an estimated VND54 billion (US$2.56 mln) a day on drugs, according to figures released at a photo exhibition held in Hanoi on Saturday.
Addressing at the event, a representative of General Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control under the Ministry of Health, said that some 14,000 drug addicts nationwide are being treated by Methadone and 90 to 95 percent of them stop using drugs.
Methadone therapy will be rolled out to 80,000 drug users in 30 cities and provinces nationwide by 2015, according to Vietnamplus.
It said five years since the therapy was launched, the nation now has 61 methadone clinics in 20 cities and provinces, treating around 14,000 drug users with no fatality from excessive medication and unexpected side effects.
Statistics from the Ministry of Labor, Invalid, and Social Affairs show that there were 180,000 drug addicts kept on file in Vietnam as of June this year and each of them spends VND300,000 on drugs per day on average.
A report by Hai Phong Police Department said 60 and 70 percent of drug users commit crimes.
Đăng ký: VietNam News