The problem of opium started in Myanmar when the colonialists legally permitted poppy cultivation in the regions on east bank of Thanlwin River, and on hill regions in Kachin State, and the transport and selling of opium in the nation after 1885. Nowadays, Myanmar is eradicating opium and heroin, while combating the new problem of stimulant drugs. Narcotic drugs and psychostrophic substances have become menace to the world nations.

Since regaining independence, Myanmar has been trying to root out the opium dens the colonialist government had permitted. In 1948, the nation drew a five-year plan to end opium addiction. It issued a law in 1955 requiring compulsory registration of all opium addicts, and rehabilitation centres for the addicts to end their bad habit. Myanmar was able to close all the remaining opium dens in Shan State on 1 October 1965 and totally prohibited opium trafficking. But after 1970, the practice of abusing heroin, that entered Myanmar from the other country, was spreading among youths in major towns and cities.

The nation enacted a law in 1974 to combat the danger of narcotic drugs on national scale. On 27 January 1993, it enacted the Narcotic Drugs and Psychostrophic Substances Law to effectively curb the menace. On 9 October 1989, Myanmar reformed the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control, followed by setting up of drug abuse control bodies at different levels in states and divisions, districts, townships and wards and villages. Of the two strategies — supply reduction and demand reduction — the Ministry of Health has been participating in the latter. The ministry has been running rehabilitation centres and launching educative campaigns alongside the related research projects in addition to treatment of drug addicts.

As the task to end the problem of narcotic drugs and psychostrophic substances needs long-term programmes and much zeal and efforts, the government laid down the 15-year narcotics elimination plan in 1999. We are now going to successfully complete the second five-year period of the 15-year plan. In 2002-2003, the government launched the New Destiny Project to add momentum to the anti narcotic drugs and psychostrophic substances drive.

Under the project is the all-round assistance including financial aid, food, alternative farms and crops and techniques to run the farms and grow the crops provided for former opium farmers. The result is the annual decrease in poppy cultivation, achieved through determination and leadership of the government, active work of the local authorities and ardent participation of the national race leaders and locals themselves.

In addition, the Myanmar government has been cooperating with the neighbouring, regional and global countries in combating the problem of narcotics.