Below is a remarkable new content specified in Law on Drug Prevention and Control 2021 approved on March 30, 2021, which takes effect from January 1, 2022 in Vietnam.
Article table of contents
Discrimination against drug users is prohibited in Vietnam (Artwork)
Specifically, in Clause 11, Article 5 of Vietnam's Law on Drug Prevention and Control 2021, it is strictly forbidden to:
Discriminate drug users, persons undergoing rehabilitation and persons having completed rehabilitation.
Previously, in Vietnam's Law on Drug Prevention and Control 2000, amended and supplemented in 2008, this act was not included in the list of prohibited drug-related acts.
In addition, Vietnam's Law on Drug Prevention and Control 2021 also stipulates a number of other prohibited acts related to drugs as follows:
- Growing of plants containing narcotic substances; provision of instructions for growing of plants containing narcotic substances.(adding acts of guiding others growing drug-containing plants compared to current ones)
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Illegal research, examination, testing, inspection, production, storage, transport, preservation, trade, distribution, processing, exchange, export, import, temporary import, re-export, temporary export, re-import and transit of narcotic substances, precursors, narcotic drugs, psychotropic drugs, precursor drugs, and medicinal ingredients being narcotic active ingredients, psychotropic active ingredients or precursors used for production of medicines or veterinary drugs containing narcotic substances or precursors.(The content is amended and supplemented compared to the provisions of the Law on Drug Prevention and Control 2000)
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Appropriation of narcotic substances, precursors, narcotic drugs, psychotropic drugs, precursor drugs and medicinal ingredients being narcotic active ingredients, psychotropic active ingredients or precursors used for production of medicines or veterinary drugs containing narcotic substances or precursors.(Newly added)
- Illegal delivery, receipt, management, control, storage, dispensing and preservation of narcotic substances and precursors; allowing illegal use of narcotic substances, narcotic drugs or psychotropic drugs.(Newly added)
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Illegal use or organization of illegal use of narcotic substances; forcing or persuading others to use narcotic substances illegally; aiding and abetting illegal use of narcotic substances.
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Resisting or obstructing testing for narcotic substance in body, diagnosis of narcotic substance dependence, drug user management, rehabilitation or post-rehabilitation management. (The content is amended and supplemented compared to the provisions of the Law on Drug Prevention and Control 2000)
- Illegal production, storage, transport and trade of equipment used for illegal production or use of narcotic substances. (Newly added)
Thus, from January 1, 2022, the act of discriminating against illegal drug users, drug addicts and people after rehab is officially prohibited in Vietnam.
According to the provisions of the Law on Drug Prevention and Control 2021, there is a clear definition of the concepts of "illegal drug users", "drug addicts", "post-drug addicts", specifically. can:
- “person using a narcotic substance illegally” means an individual who uses a narcotic substance without the permission of the competent person or authority and whose body tests positive for the narcotic substance (Clause 10, Article 2 of the Law on Drug Prevention and Control 2021). Different from the concept of "drug addict" is a person who uses drugs, narcotic drugs, psychotropic drugs and is dependent and dependent on these substances.
- "person suffering from narcotic substance dependence” means a person who uses a narcotic substance, narcotic drug or psychotropic drug and becomes dependent on the substance or drug
- According to Clause 13, Article 3 of the Law on Drug Prevention and Control 2021, “narcotic substance rehabilitation” means a process where medical, psychological and social assistance is provided for a drug addict to help them stop using a narcotic substance, narcotic drug or psychotropic drug, make physical and mental recovery, have a better understanding and change their behaviors to cease using the substance illegally (hereinafter referred to as “rehabilitation”). According to this understanding, "post-drug addict" is understood as a person who has undergone the above-mentioned drug detoxification process.
- Key word:
- drug users in Vietnam
