Keep the village peaceful

In the middle of the vast green forest, the fight against drugs in Yen Bai is still taking place quietly without smoke or gunfire but full of hardship and determination. That fight is not only to repel crime but above all to preserve peace for every home, every village.

Without sirens or dramatic chases like in movies, the fight against drugs in Yen Bai takes place quietly, persistently, and with humanity. The police officers are not only a force for crime prevention and control, but also friends, brothers, and sisters in each community. For them, only when people trust and understand the harmful effects of drugs can these harmful seeds be truly eradicated.

In the past 5 years, the province has detected and handled nearly 900 cases with nearly 1,400 drug offenders; more than 100kg of drugs were seized, tens of billions of dong in evidence and means of violation were confiscated. That number is a testament to the tireless efforts; the result of the synchronous participation of the entire political system; the determination not to let any land become a "hot spot" for drugs.

Yen Bai determined that winning the war on drugs cannot be based solely on repressive measures. Propaganda and raising awareness among the people, especially the youth, is identified as key.

From the remote villages of Mu Cang Chai and Tram Tau districts to the bustling streets of Yen Bai city... there are diverse and rich propaganda activities on drug prevention and control. Community activities, media conferences, and skills training have become familiar routines. Ms. Giang Thi Mai - a civil servant of Justice of Ho Bon commune, Mu Cang Chai district said: "In the past, people here considered drugs as painkillers and tonics. However, through propaganda, they gradually understood the cruel truth of that "poison". From 2022 to now, there have been no cases of relapse in the commune."

The province also implemented the Project "Promoting propaganda on drug crime prevention and control among ethnic minorities and mountainous areas" from 2021 to 2025. Through the form of dramatization, mobile film screenings, leaflet distribution, organizing legal knowledge competitions... the propaganda work has "touched" the emotions and awareness of hundreds of thousands of people.

In the past 5 years, the Provincial Police Department coordinated to organize 8 major conferences with nearly 2,600 participants, directly propagating to more than 4,100 students; the Provincial Department of Justice organized nearly 90 legal propaganda conferences, distributed 8,600 leaflets and 30,000 copies of "Legal Newsletter", including content on drug prevention and control. The synchronization in propaganda, control and support for drug addiction treatment has brought about positive results.

To date, the province has 26 communes, wards and towns free of drug abuse - an encouraging number given that the area has many areas bordering drug "hotspots" such as Son La and Lai Chau . Since 2020, nearly 2,000 people have been forced to undergo drug rehabilitation, over 100 people have voluntarily undergone drug rehabilitation and over 1,400 people have completed the rehabilitation process.

In particular, over 300 people were counseled and introduced to jobs, and nearly 600 people were trained in vocational skills, helping them to reintegrate into the community. In the field of preventing supply, the authorities have destroyed over 1,200 square meters of opium poppies, 39 marijuana plants, and many other areas of addictive plants, contributing to preventing the illegal cultivation of plants containing narcotics from the root. Not only the government, but also mass organizations, religions, and prestigious people in the community have joined hands.

Anti-drug clubs and the "Drug-free Village" model have become "spiritual fortresses" protecting young people from temptation.

In Tu Le commune, Van Chan district, Mr. Lo Van Tam - a prestigious village elder shared: "I always remind the children that drugs are a dead end. It is better to be poor and live cleanly than to get involved and make the whole family suffer. When the villagers remind each other and protect each other, criminals have no place to live". That connection between the people and the authorities is the most powerful weapon in the fight against drugs.

Tran Ngoc

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/giu-binh-yen-ban-lang-post404125.html