The narcotic drug is an evil danger related to political, economic, social and health aspects. It is also a grave danger not only to a single nation but also to the entire world. Every nation is constantly carrying out anti-narcotic activities in their own ways.

In implementing eradication of narcotics, priority was given to control measures such as destruction of poppy fields and opium refineries under various operations before 1988.

In the law enforcement sector, more drugs seizures were made after the formation of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control. The total value of seized opium, heroin, stimulant tablets and related paraphernalia since 1976 has amounted to K 1,418.117 billion (US $ 22.735 billion).

In launching the anti-narcotics campaign, emphasis was placed not only on drug control sector. Cultivation and production of poppy became less and less due to the harmonious efforts for poppy-growers to earn substitute income and to raise the quality of their life in poppy growing areas.

The government laid down the 15-year Drugs Elimination Plan (1999-2014) and has been implementing the New Destiny Project, part of the plan, since April 2003. Substitute crops were grown in the poppy growing areas and as a result, poppy production declined considerably year after year.

Kokang and Wa Regions were declared as opium free zones in 2003 and 2005 respectively. The 2005 annual report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) stated that poppy cultivation in Myanmar between 2001 and 2005 dropped by 61 per cent.

According to the opium yield survey conducted by Counter Narcotics and Crime (CNC) of the United States in 2004 poppy cultivation declined by 81 per cent and opium production fell by 88 per cent, compared to that of 1996. These figures firmly show that Myanmar’s anti-narcotics drive is a big success.