Asia (bbabo.net), - In Kazakhstan, they plan to introduce mass testing of teenagers for drug use. This was announced on Tuesday at a government meeting by the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic Marat Akhmetzhanov, reports today, March 14, IA Fergana.
According to the head of the department, inspections will be carried out in accordance with the Comprehensive Three-Year Plan to Combat Drug Addiction and Drug Trafficking.
“Unfortunately, facts of drug use among students are being revealed today. Therefore, it is planned to introduce a screening system in the future. It will make it possible to objectively assess the level of drug addiction in society, as well as to identify drug addicts at an early stage, especially among teenagers,” he explained, presenting the plan.
The minister stated the lack of accurate and reliable registration of drug addicts in Kazakhstan. According to available data, 18,000 drug addicts are registered with the Ministry of Health. However, their actual number, according to Akhmetzhanov, is five times higher than the official figures.
“Official statistics do not take into account data from private drug treatment clinics, emergency calls to 103, poisoning of unknown etiology,” he said.
Akhmetzhanov explained that screening is proposed to be carried out as part of a medical examination upon admission to educational institutions, employment, civil service, and the Armed Forces.
“Today, synthetic drugs are common and available. The examination shows that if the use is detected at an early stage, then in 95% of cases a person can be returned to normal life. At the third stage - only 15%. There are many types of drugs that are also distributed in schools, we do not hide this,” he added.
The head of the Kazakh law enforcement agency acknowledged that effective drug prevention in the country has weakened.
The Ministry of the Interior dealt only with criminal prosecution, and the main goal was exposure. Being in the status of ''authorized body'', the task of coordination faded into the background. There was no activity from other interested bodies. As a result, the struggle only with the consequences, and not with the causes of drug addiction, prevailed, ”he said about this.
Therefore, according to him, the draft comprehensive plan defines the tasks of each state body.
“Particular attention is paid to the prevention of drug addiction, improving the quality of drug treatment and rehabilitation. To do this, the plan provides for the modernization and repair of drug dispensaries, the creation of medical and labor workshops for the rehabilitation of drug addicts,” Akhmetzhanov said further.
According to the Kazakh Ministry of Health, a total of 108.8 thousand people who use psychoactive substances are under dynamic observation. Of these, 90,608 people are addicted to alcohol, 18,243 people are addicted to drugs. Among people with drug addiction - 1,498 women and 97 minors.
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