Time for a Sensible Needle and Syringe Policy in Thailand

Despite an overwhelming increase in drug trafficking and problems of drug addiction, including HIV (42.5%) and Hepatitis C (89.8 %) prevalence amongst PWID (people who inject drugs), the government of Thailand has yet to develop a coherent policy, based on harm reduction, to reduce such dangerously high prevalence of blood borne pathogens.

The government estimates that 1.2 million Thais - nearly 2% of the population - use drugs and are in need of treatment. Some estimates put the number of PWUD (people who use drugs) even higher, at between 2 and 3 million.

Yet despite the magnitude of the problem, the government has so far adopted strategies that emphasized more on supply and demand reduction, where law enforcement rather than public health, plays a key role. The strategies, which aim
to achieve a drug free society, tilts the environment towards total abstinence.

Harm reduction and its key components are not mentioned in the recently announced national narcotics control policy under the title ‘Kingdom’s Unity for Victory over Drugs Strategy’. This leaves little room for those implementing harm reduction programs within the country.

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