New Methamphetamine Epidemic in Thailand Apinun Aramrattana, MD, PhD Faculty of Medicine & Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand 1st Global Methamphetamine Conference: September 2008, Prague

Chiang Mai Thailand profiles Populations 63 m. 73 provinces

NUMBER Source: Dept. of Medical Services, MOPH and Institute of Health Research,C U., ONCB DRUG DEPENDENCE TREATMENT POPULATION V.Poshyachinda 79.4 Methamphetamine epidemics

1 st National Household Survey on Drug Abuse: 2001 Users (age yr.) x 1,000 EverPast yearPast month Any illicit drugs7,3121, Marihuana5, Yaba3,4921, Kratom leaf2, Inhalants Opium Ecstasy Heroin Drug treatment capacity was < 50,000 patients. Source: The Office of Narcotic Control Board, Thailand, 2002

3 rd National Household Survey : Provinces and Population Province North Central Northeast South Population Bangkok Total Municipal Non- Municipal 2, ,102 1,040 1, ,497 2,365 5,930 3,614 6,227 18,136 Multi- stage block sampling 2007 All age in selected households

Estimated Number x 1,000 [rate/1,000] Drug type Life time Past year Past month Meth. Tab [17.0]66.3 [ 1.4]22.9 [ 0.5] Ecstacy124.3 [ 2.7]15.2 [ 0.3]3.3 [ 0.1] Ice41.8 [ 0.9]2.2 [0.05]0.6 [0.01] Opium229.0 [ 4.9]3.1 [ 0.1]- Heroin151.0 [ 3.2]3.9 [ 0.1]- 20 ธันวาคม 2550 ATS were more predominated than opiates.

บุหรี่ Cigarette s Meth. tab. Retrospective trends of new users ICE Ecstacy Crude analysis on the onset of drug used Meth. tab. decreased. Ecstacy increased. Ice was introduced recently and increased. War on drug 2003

20 ธันวาคม 2550 Past year Life time Sex-specific Prevalence Male predomination was small among Ecstacy and Ice users.

20 ธันวาคม 2550 Past year Age-specific Prevalence Meth. tab. was wide- spread among both youths and adults. Ecstacy was popular among young users.

New users tended to be young Age Age-at-initiation Trends Calendar Year

Poly-drug use Marihu ana Chat leaves Inhalan ts Opium Heroin Ecstacy Cocaine Ketami ne Ice

Alcohol and Substance Use Patients at OPD Suan Prung Psychiatric Hospital War on drugs Rehabilitation law Short-term impacts of the ‘War on Drug’ Methamphetamine is still the most popular drug. Source: Suan Prung Hospital, MOPH

Ice users came for treatment at government hospitals were remarkbly increasing Source: ONCB Treatment statistics

10, , ,999 5, ,999 Amount (kg.) kg.. 15 kg kg kg kg. Ice has recently been introduced to Thailand a few years ago and rapidly expanding to cover all parts of the country. Ice : Seizure statistics

สำนักปราบปรามยา เสพติด The 1 st clandestine lab. Producing Ice seized near Bangkok, July 2008.

Thailand passed through a maximum peak of large methamphetamine epidemics around While its accessibility and availability were decreased, users turned to other drug for substitution. The large demand size led to another recent epidemics of Ice (methamphetamine crystal) among youths. This could develop further and pose health risks to the new users. Conclusion

Acknowledgement: The Executive Program Committee of the Conference Late Professor Vichai Poshyachinda, Drug Dependence Research Center, Chulalongkorn University The Office of Narcotic Control Board (ONCB), Ministry of Justice, Thailand Thai Addiction Researcher Consortium Chiang Mai University, Thailand Drug users and workers