Indonesian Narcotics Board To Rehabilitate 100 Thousand Drug Addicts

Surabaya, E Java (Antara Bali) -- The National Narcotics Board of the Republic of Indonesia (BNN) will rehabilitate 100 thousand drug addicts in accordance with law number 35 of 2009 on narcotics.

"This year, we aim to rehabilitate 100 thousand drug addicts," Head of the BNN Police Commissioner General Anang Iskandar said here on Wednesday.

This law stipulates that drug addicts and victims of drug abuse are required to undergo medical and social rehabilitations.

According to Iskandar, the BNN set a target to send 200 thousand addicts to rehab in 2016 and will increase this number annually to some 400 thousand addicts.

"So far, only 2,000 addicts have been rehabilitated," he pointed out, adding that in East Java alone, some 1,600 addicts were in rehab.

The BNN hopes that by rehabilitating drug addicts, the narcotics network can be eradicated.

Therefore, efforts to heal addicts will be continued till Indonesia is free from drugs.

Different measures are applied to deal with drug dealers who should be punished severely, including with death penalty.

"I agree with sentencing drug dealers to death. We must act firmly against them," Iskandar emphasized.

According to records of the BNN, Indonesia has some 4 million drug abusers.

Of the number, 27.32 percent are students, 1.6 million are trial abusers, 1.4 million are permanent abusers, and 943 thousand are addicts. (WDY)