A people’s war: China’s struggle to contain its Illicit drug problem

An Ever-Expanding Addict Population Like its red hot economy, China also witnesses the use of illicit drugs growing at an unprecedented speed.1 Practically all psychedelic drugs known in the West have found their consumers in the country. Illicit drug dealing and consumption are highly stigmatized in China because of its bitter history. All Chinese governments in the past 150 years, irrespective of their political persuasions, have tried various harsh measures in curtailing drug use and trade, and the society at large holds drug addicts in disrepute and considers it a failure of the family. Still the problem persists.

China’s anti-narcotic measures may seem draconian by Western standards, such as the use of the death penalty for drug traffickers and compulsory detoxification centers and labor camps. The question becomes what price is China willing to pay to curtail its drug problems? Harsh legal sanctions to scare off prospective risk-takers coupled with draconian treatment conditions to deter drug users are their current strategies in combatting the drug problem. However, neither seems to have worked particularly well, judging from the ever increasing size of addict population and amounts of drugs seized by police. While not a silver bullet, perhaps China should also consider experimenting with a more compassionate approach oriented toward harm reduction.

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