Drug Abuse Around The World: China Says Their Economy Suffered A $81 Billion Loss Due To Drug Abuse

China says after conducting an assessment on the plague of drug abuse in their country, they concluded that they suffered an annual economic losses of 500 billion yuan ($80.54 billion) and incurred about 49,000 deaths in 2014, according to Reuters.

An increase in drug abuse in China can be attributed to the rise of a new urban class with a higher disposable income. In response to the rising issue China has intensified its efforts to crackdown on drug abuse. As a result of the country’s crackdown, the government has arrested various celebrity drug abusers, including 32-year-old Jaycee Chan, the son of movie star Jackie Chan.

According to Liu, Yuejin, assistant minister of public security, China has over 14 million drug users. Yuejin also revealed that drug abuse was the source of at least 49,00 deaths in 2014, and drug abuse also fueled an increase in crimes including murder, abduction, and rape.

China reports having about 1.2 million methamphetamine users in 2014, about a 41 percent increase from the year prior. The southeast Asia “Golden Triangle,” the meeting point of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos borders, and south Asia’s “Golden Crescent,” which includes Afghanistan and Pakistan, have been recognized as two of China’s  major overseas drug sources, according to Yuejin.

“We have given them relatively large assistance with the aim of improving the capacity of these countries to combat drug crime and prevent, from the source, more drugs flowing into China,” Liu said in a news conference, quoted by Reuters.

As a means to fight against the issue of drug smuggling in China, the country has strengthened law enforcement cooperation with countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan. In the past China was able to successfully limit the spread of drugs such as opium, due to the Communist Party taking power in 1949. However, the country has witnessed a comeback over the past few years.

China currently has very harsh penalties in place for those who commit drug crimes, according to Reuters,committing a drug crime in China could result in harsh penalties including death or life in prison.

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The post Drug Abuse Around The World: China Says Their Economy Suffered A $81 Billion Loss Due To Drug Abuse appeared first on Harbor Village Florida.

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