Seized drugs being prepared for incineration on Phnom Penh’s Koh Pich (Diamond Island) last year. Post Staff
Natural drugs are being increasingly replaced by synthetic drugs in Cambodia. These substances cause addicts to quickly lose cognitive functions, and there is currently no effective treatment available for the brain damage caused by addiction to these compounds, according to rehabilitation experts.
Meas Vyrith, secretary-general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD), noted that criminals have shifted to the production of synthetic substances which are easy to make regardless of geographical location and require less time to manufacture.
“Nowadays, drugs are mostly synthetic. We see a new trend of criminals producing [these] drugs, which are easier to create without the need for farmland to grow narcotic plants,” he said.
Synthetic drugs
Vyrith explained that synthetic drug production refers to the creation of drugs that do not rely on addictive plants such as opium and marijuana. Instead, they are synthesised from chemicals. These include methamphetamine (meth, ice), amphetamines, ecstasy and ketamine, also known as “fun powder” in Khmer. He said heroin, on the other hand, is considered a semi-synthetic drug.
Vyrith pointed out that their production is on the rise in the Golden Triangle – the area where Laos, Thailand and Myanmar intersect – due to the lack of clear administration. With sufficient chemical compounds, experts and manufacturing equipment, he underscored that these drugs can be made in just a few days.
“The production of synthetic drugs cannot be detected by satellite because they are made in warehouses or remote areas, which are difficult for authorities to access,” he said. “This is different from opium or marijuana plantations, which can be spotted from above, giving authorities more opportunities to intervene.”
In addition, Vyrith highlighted that the transportation of chemicals is so readily achievable and pervasive that many countries do not yet have clear mechanisms for managing and controlling them.
“Law enforcement frameworks must ensure that chemicals are not diverted from legal activities to illegal ones,” he said.
He noted that about 80 per cent of drug users take meth, followed by ecstasy, ketamine and others.
“Therefore, Cambodia does not have a market for natural drugs,” Vyrith claimed.
The scale of synthetic drug manufacturing is large, often reaching tonnes in a single production cycle, which reduces their price, he said.
He added that as prices fall, trading and shipping activities increase; if authorities seize a shipment, it does not significantly impact trafficking because the drugs are cheap, unlike before when prices were high.
Drug use and treatment
There are generally three types of drug use: voluntary use, deceptive use and forced use. Deceptive use includes lying to the victim by claiming the drug is a tonic, an intelligence enhancer, or a cosmetic, etcetera.
Regarding drug treatment, Vyrith explained that detoxification or “neutralisation” refers to the process of removing the substance from the body through processes such as hydration or the use of medications to flush the drug from the body.
The drug is typically eliminated within 14 days. As drug levels decrease, withdrawal symptoms begin to emerge.
As the concentration of the addictive substance in the body decreases, withdrawal symptoms become more pronounced and challenging for the addict to endure. Similar to alcohol withdrawal, which can cause symptoms like tearfulness, facial flushing and slurred speech due to ethanol leaving the body, drug withdrawal symptoms can be alleviated temporarily by resuming drug use.
"This is also true for drug addicts. When the addictive substance is being expelled from the body, withdrawal symptoms appear, and symptom management is applied," he said.
Following the detoxification process, the focus shifts to treating other medical conditions that may arise due to prolonged addiction. Depending on the severity of the dependence and the individual's overall health, this treatment phase can last from one and a half to three months or more.
Once the individual has regained stability, they undergo rehabilitation to develop skills necessary for a sustainable recovery and reintegration into society.
“Synthetic drugs currently have no practical cure,” he added, suggesting that the most effective approach is to enhance education so that people, especially the youth, gain a deeper understanding of the effects and dangers of drugs.
Vyrith believes that once they are aware, they will “say no” to drugs. If all citizens refuse to use them, the market will collapse, and traffickers will lose their opportunities.
Meas Sovann, executive director of the Drug Addict Relief Association of Cambodia (DARAC), stated that treating addicts of man-made drugs is more challenging due to the severe effects on the brain, which can lead to symptoms resembling insanity. This is different from addictions to natural narcotics like opium and marijuana.
“It is difficult to treat. Some patients almost lose their sanity because synthetic drugs severely damage the nervous system. These drugs use chemicals that cause rapid loss of cognitive functions,” he explained.
“The brain [works] like a memory storage system; if it gets damaged, what can replace it? Some patients have not recovered even after one or two years,” he noted, mentioning that many addicts who seek treatment at his centre have used meth.
Currently, Cambodia has 15 treatment and rehabilitation centres serving approximately 20,000 addicts, most of whom are between 18 and 35 years old.
In the first six months of this year alone, authorities have cracked down on 5,656 drug cases, arrested 13,955 individuals and seized more than five tonnes of illicit substances.
