China’s New Long March to Control Illicit Substance Use: From a Punitive Regime towards Harm Reduction

Sheldon X. Zhang; Ko-lin Chin

doi:10.1515/jdpa-2015-0023

Article

China’s New Long March to Control Illicit Substance Use: From a Punitive Regime towards Harm Reduction

Sheldon X. Zhang
School of Criminology and Justice Studies, University of Massachusetts Lowell
and Ko-lin Chin

Published/Copyright: March 29, 2018

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From the journal Journal of Drug Policy Analysis Volume 11 Issue 1

Abstract

Illicit substance misuse has become a serious problem in contemporary China. The number of officially registered illicit substance misusers totals close to 3 million, having increased every year since the government’s first annual report on drug control in 1998. In recent years, synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine and ketamine, have become more popular than heroin which was previously dominant. However, illicit substance use continues to receive little sympathy from the public, despite government’s efforts to move towards treatment and rehabilitation. For many years, compulsory detoxification centers and “education-through-labor” camps were the only treatment options. More humane approaches are emerging, including methadone maintenance, therapeutic communities, and faith-based halfway houses. Government response to drug trafficking remains draconian. Drug distribution and trafficking are among the dwindling number of criminal offenses that qualify for the death penalty. For future drug control policy, China appears willing to accelerate its experiment with decriminalizing substance abuse and applying a public health approach to the treatment of substance misusers. Evidence-based treatment programs through scientific research and rigorous evaluation should be the norm, and harm reduction needs to be seriously explored as an alternative to the harsh criminal justice regime. More importantly, reliable and multi-faceted forecast systems need to be established to monitor and estimate the size of substance misuser population and trends in illicit drug consumption. Finally, China should continue to expand its international collaboration and insulate its counter-narcotic programs from global politics.

Keywords: drug addiction; china; golden triangle; compulsory drug treatment; labor camp

Notes

Portions of this paper have been previously presented and published.

About the author

Sheldon X. Zhang

School of Criminology and Justice Studies, University of Massachusetts Lowell

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Published Online: 2018-3-29

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https://doi.org/10.1515/jdpa-2015-0023

Keywords for this article

drug addiction; china; golden triangle; compulsory drug treatment; labor camp