He proposed that community based organisations, related government agencies and NGOs cooperate to open rehabilitation centres in every township to educate youths about the side-effects of drugs and help those addicted to drugs.

U Htay Reh, a member of parliament for No.7 constituency Karenni State, agreed and said that rather than arresting drug users and putting them into prison it would be better to educate them about drugs.

Explaining the situation in Kareni State he said: “Drug abuse has spread amongst the students in Karenni State”

He added that previously a member of parliament from No. 1 Constituency Kachin State had submitted a similar motion but the government’s reaction had been very lukewarm.

Kachin Sate and Northern Shan State are the areas suffering from the most drug abuse.

Kachin State Prime Minister Lajohn Ngansai said that 7 to 15 drug users are arrested every day in Kachin State. The Kachin State Commisioner Pol. Col. U San Yu said that they were dealing with five to 17 drug-dealing cases in the state every day.

Arrests for drug dealing in Kachin State are increasing. This year, until 18th October there had been 1502 cases of drug dealing and 2,299 arrests for drug dealing.