For the past 18 years, the Myanmar Government has been working under a drug control plan aimed at achieving a drug-free country by 2019. Under that 20-year action plan, Myanmar’s approach focused on supply reduction and reduction of opium poppy cultivation. Since 2015, the Government of Myanmar began considering what changes were needed to their approach then the government developed the Road Map on Development of New Drug Control Policy in 2016. Accordingly, we embarked on a process of consultation with over 150 national experts and learning to drug control under the leadership of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) with the support of UNODC. In 2017, the Ministry of Home Affairs formulated the resulting recommendations in a document “Towards a National Drug Control Policy for Myanmar”.

This new drug policy incorporates international best practices and aligns with the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem (UNGASS) in 2016 and the recommendations of “Towards a National Drug Control Policy for Myanmar”, as well as in compliance with the three international drug conventions. It is formulated to support achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The policy presents a comprehensive approach to tackling the drug situation involving government, non-government and civil society stakeholders. In addition to law enforcement and criminal justice efforts, it includes health and social policy responses, outlines a path to promoting sustainable alternative development for opium farmers, and promoted international cooperation. Major changes in this policy include the adoption of a harm reduction approach to users, and increasing compliance with human rights as a cross-cutting issue.

The balanced, comprehensive framework in this policy will pave the way towards promoting a healthy and safe environment for the people of Myanmar – an environment in which drug-related health, social and economic harm is minimized. Ultimately, it is hoped that this policy contributed to peace and stability in Myanmar.