Use of illicit Drug: An Emerging Threat on Public Health and Sustainable Development in Bangladesh

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1 Use of illicit Drug: An Emerging Threat on Public Health and Sustainable Development in Bangladesh Syed Abdul Hamid, PhD Institute of Health Economics University of Dhaka Bangladesh and BIMSTEC: Way Forward 13 January 2015

2 Outlines Impact of illicit drug use Illicit drug use and MDGs Pattern of illicit drug use in Bangladesh Supply sources of illicit drugs in Bangladesh Illicit drug use and BIMSTEC Conclusions

3 Impact of illicit drug use The emergence of new or enhanced health problems The lowering of worker productivity The involvement of youth in drug distribution and away from productive education or employment The skewing of economies to drug production and money laundering Interpersonal crime and community violence The corruption of public servants and the disintegration of social institutions

4 Impact of illicit drug use/cont. Illicit drug users in developing countries typically fall within the age group of 15 44, although most are in their mid twenties and most died in midthirties (World Bank 1993) Drug abuse often attacks people during their most productive years, thereby converting a vibrant source of productivity into a burden on society (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 1994) Drug use lowers productivity through occupational injuries, the spread of diseases (e.g. HIV/AIDS, TB, mental problem), and drug overdose.

5 Impact of illicit drug use/cont Overall, the effects of substance abuse on national productivity are significant, as productivity gains are crucial for a nation s competitive position in the volatile world marketplace. Overall illicit drug use and addiction among female population worldwide are still far less widespread than among male population In the long run there may be serious crises of Male Labour Forces

6 Illicit drug use: How much addressed in MDGs? The MDG (2000) pact officially committed the international community to: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger achieving universal primary education promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women registering a significant reduction in infant and maternal mortality gaining control of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria protecting environmental quality developing a global partnership of rich and poor nations for sustainable development There is nothing about reducing illicit drug use or production in MDGs Thus the issue of illicit drug use is much neglected in international policy debate

7 Pattern of illicit drug use in Bangladesh Drug Name 2010(%) 2011(%) 2012(%) 2013(%) Heroin Phensidyl Ganja Injected Drug Polidrugs Alcohol Yaba Tablet Glue Others

8 Yaba! Yaba tablets smuggled to Bangladesh from Burma

9 Supply sources of major drugs Bangladesh is a transit country for drugs produced in the Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Laos and Thailand) and, to a much lesser degree, the Golden Crescent (Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan). Reports from the Indian Narcotics Control Bureau indicate that heroin is smuggled from India to Bangladesh through the porous Indo Bangladesh border. India is also the major source of phensidyl supply in Bangladesh Myanmar is the major source of Yaba supply

10 Illicit drug use: How much addressed in BIMSTEC? Public Health is one of the 14 sectors of BIMSTECT (currently led by Thailand) Giving legal protection and the agreement to establish a network of national centers of excellence in the field of traditional medication for helping the impoverished

11 Conclusions Issue of illicit drug use and supply should be immediately included in the public health sector of BIMSTEC Bangladesh should vigorously raise the issue in the next BIMSTEC summit/meeting and approach to stop supply and/or transit illicit drug among the BIMSTEC countries.

12 Thank you