Study calls for closure of compulsory drug centres

News

Study calls for closure of compulsory drug centres

20 January 2017

By Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon

An article to be published in medical journal the Lancet next month concludes that compulsory drug detention centres, such as those used by the Cambodian government, don’t work and recommends for their closure.

The study, made available online this week, compares relapse rates for users of opioid substances (ie, heroin) at voluntary treatment centres and compulsory treatment centres in Malaysia, where, much like Cambodia, they exist in tandem.

It found that users going through voluntary treatment were at seven times less “risk of relapse to opioids and any-illicit-drug after release” compared to those in compulsory treatment.

What’s more, the study finds that those who do relapse do so much sooner if they came from compulsory treatment, with a median relapse time of 33 days versus 355 days.

The study also concludes that compulsory centres “are ineffective in preventing relapse to use of amphetamine-type substances, and should be closed even in regions where amphetamine use disorders are common”.

Click here to read the full article.

Keep up-to-date with drug policy developments by subscribing to the IDPC Monthly Alert.

Thumbnail: Flickr CC Prince Roy