Controlling alcohol

Source: Now to cut down on alcohol | Kuenselonline.com

Also, a raft of measures to combat drug addiction

Bhutan Narcotic Control Agency 9 April, 2010 - The Bhutan narcotic control agency (BNCA) has given itself two months to draw up a strategic plan to combat excessive consumption and production of alcohol, an age-old malaise in Bhutanese society.

Narcotics control board (NCB) members, led by the health minister, Lyonpo Zangley Dukpa, discussed on April 7 the 2009 survey on consumption of alcohol, which showed that people across the country consumed almost 13 million litres of alcohol a year.

BNCA officials said that they are yet to decide on whether to have an independent agency to ensure reduction in alcohol cases. “We’re working on an actual strategy on control of alcohol, as it’s a complex matter,” said the agency’s joint director, Chador. “We hope to come up with the plan within two months.”

The agency, as directed by the cabinet and NCB, will look at the alcohol taxation system, export and import system, volume of alcohol consumption.

With increasing number of drug abuse cases, especially in urban centres, Lyonpo Zangley Dukpa told the media that a proposal, to have a joint task force from Bhutan and India at all border towns to regulate together the distribution and drug traffic, was underway.

He said that the chief minister of West Bengal made the proposal during the border district coordination meeting in February 2010.

“The chief minister would soon send his officials from narcotic control bureau in West Bengal for regular vigilance on the supply of drugs from Jaigaon to Phuentsholing, and then to other parts of the country,” Lyonpo Zangley Dukpa said.

BNCA, during the board meeting, also proposed to establish drop in centres (DIC) in Paro, Mongar, Bumthang, Samtse and Samdrupjongkhar, to enhance monitoring in other dzongkhags. “We’re working on a detailed proposal for the drop in centres,” a BNCA official said.

The board also directed BNCA to take immediate action on prevention of drugs in the country, referring to memorandum of understanding (MoU), which was signed in December 2009. The MoU was signed between the governments of Bhutan and India on control of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

Members, at the meeting, also discussed the ongoing plan to set up a rehabilitation centre for women, in collaboration with the existing male rehab centre in Serbithang, Thimphu.

The youth development fund (YDF), with support from the government and BNCA, will be setting up a women’s rehab in Tseluna village in Thimphu instead of Gidagom, about 20 km away from Thimphu. “We have requested government for land while we’re also continuing survey before we start the rehab,” said a YDF official.

Meanwhile, BNCA has a new legal officer, who will directly prosecute cases in court against illicit drug traffickers and distributors, alongside the attorney general’s office.

By Yangchen Choden Rinzin