Chuck Kuhn's Asia in Photos: HCM City to give methadone to 750 drug addicts

Saturday, March 29, 2008

HCM City to give methadone to 750 drug addicts

A total of 750 drug users in Ho Chi Minh City will participate in a pilot methadone treatment project, said Le Truong Giang, deputy director of the city’s Department of Health, on March 27. The 256,267 USD project, which has been approved by the metropolitan People’s Committee, will be carried out for one year under the sponsorship of the World Health Organisation in districts 4, 6 and Binh Thanh, he said. Methadone treatment will help reduce the risk of HIV infection and the crime rate among the drug users. It will also help the patients integrate into the society and regain their working capability. The city plans to build a treatment model for its own based on the project’s results. Another pilot methadone treatment project has been carried out in the northern port city of Hai Phong since March 2007, with the participation of about 700 drug users.

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They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.