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SCAC Holds First Stakeholder Meeting to Tackle Youth and Substance Abuse

SCAC Holds First Stakeholder Meeting to Tackle Youth and Substance Abuse

On January 15, 2024, the Social and Cultural Affairs Committee (SCAC) convened its first stakeholder meeting to address the issue of Youth and Substance Abuse in Bhutan. The meeting involved key organizations including the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP), Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA), and the National Drug Task Force.

The Chairperson of the SCAC, Hon'ble Tshering, emphasized that the committee had been tasked with reviewing the issue of Youth and Substance Abuse and invited the participation of relevant agencies to present their current efforts and insights.

The RBP's presentation included statistics on drug-related crimes, highlighting the ongoing measures such as border checkpoint inspections, marijuana destruction programs, and public awareness campaigns. In 2023, 1,904 drug-related cases were reported among individuals aged 24 and below, with 1,774 cases recorded in 2024. Arrests also decreased from 3,667 in 2023 to 3,322 in 2024.

The BFDA’s Controlled Substance and Medical Device Division presented its mandate, which includes developing policies to regulate narcotics, psychotropic substances, and tobacco products, as well as overseeing their manufacturing, distribution, and sale. The division also supports treatment and rehabilitation centers. Key challenges highlighted were inadequate rehabilitation facilities, ambiguous legislation concerning the Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances, and Substance Act of Bhutan, and the emergence of new psychoactive substances.

The Member Secretary of the National Drug Task Force shared updates on several initiatives, including the launch of a specialized school in Trashigang scheduled for February, vocational training and rehabilitation programs for prisoners in partnership with The Pema Secretariat, and efforts to strengthen legal frameworks.

Committee members engaged in an in-depth discussion regarding legal and policy concerns, seeking further clarifications.

The meeting was attended by senior officials, including Colonel Passang Dorji from the RBP, Director Gyem Bidha from the BFDA, and Mr. Sonam Tashi, Member Secretary of the National Drug Task Force.

 

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