LAW enforcement agencies and local authorities frequently seize substances such as Happy Water, Ice, stimulant tablets, heroin, and various other narcotic drugs across different regions of the country, as reported in State-owned newspapers and on social media.
Narcotic drug producers create various drug forms to penetrate the user market. As a result, authorities investigate and seize large quantities of chemical drugs. These seized drugs are incinerated during ceremonies held on the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in major cities across the nation.
In 2024, local authorities destroyed 77 items of narcotic drugs and chemicals valued at over K1,163 billion (approximately US$349.443 million), including more than 1,366 kilogrammes of opium, 2,178 kilogrammes of heroin, over 239 million stimulant tablets, 23,393 kilogrammes of Ice, 1,775 kilogrammes of opium speciosa (Mitragyna speciosa), 1,257 kilogrammes of marijuana, over 4,165 kilogrammes of ketamine, and more than 12 kilogrammes of morphine during the incineration ceremonies.
Everyone needs to recognize the dangers of narcotic drugs. Narcotics are a harmful legacy of colonialism. Drug users often find it difficult to escape addiction, while drug traffickers, who seem to earn unprecedented incomes from participating in the drug trade, are also hard to leave due to the unseen dangers and threats they face.
Those who truly understand the dangers and disadvantages of narcotic drugs often seek help from authorities for the treatment of drug addiction. However, most drug users experience profound devastation in their own lives and the lives of their families. They also face legal consequences for violating laws related to narcotic drug use. Therefore, all citizens need to recognize that drug abuse and drug trafficking offer no benefits to individuals or society.
Parents must guide their children to avoid narcotic drugs, as schools and educational materials have long been providing information about the dangers of these substances. Furthermore, governments have enacted laws aimed at eradicating narcotics in all forms. Indeed, no country accepts drug abuse or trafficking and works to eliminate them for the well-being of society. Authorities should also monitor and dismantle domestic drug trafficking routes while addressing potential international inflows of narcotics.
International communities approach the issue of narcotic drug problems in diverse ways, influenced by factors such as background, culture, development, resource ownership, location, and geographical conditions. Myanmar’s governments have consistently worked to eradicate narcotic drugs in successive eras. It is essential to emphasize supervision over the trafficking of prohibited chemical raw materials to prevent their access to drug production areas.
