December 10: The Narcotic and Drug Unit of the police are now equipped with drug testing kits. It says the kit will help curb the increasing problem of substance abuse.

There is no lying now if you are under the influence of psychotropic drugs.

The Royal Bhutan Police is now equipped with kits to test anyone suspected of being under the influence of drugs. All that the police have to do is get a sample of the suspect’s urine and test it using the kit.

Major Dorji Khandu the head of the Narcotic and Drug Unit says suspects apprehended by the police will be made to undergo the test. He said the test is being conducted to help address the increasing problem of substance abuse. It is not to punish drug abusers, he said.

It will also help the unit when the suspects are charge sheeted to the court. He said lack of evidence has been a major drawback when the suspects are taken to the court.

Major Dorji Khandu said the unit already has kits to identify the different drugs. He said schools will also be provided with the testing kit in the near future as more than 40% of the substance abusers are students.

The unit will also be conducting a base line data survey on substance abuse by using the kit.


Substance abuse on the rise

Substance abuse has increased dramatically over the years. Police have caught 281 people abusing drugs so far this year.

According to records maintained by the Narcotic and Drug Unit of the Royal Bhutan Police, last year they caught only 192 people for substance abuse.

This week alone, police caught 12 people abusing drugs. Police said of the 281 they caught this year, nine died of drug overdose.

95% of drug abusers are male. The head of RBP’s Narcotic and Drug Unit, Major Dorji Khandu said the most commonly abused substances are dendrite and correcting fluids. Marijuana and other substances come next.

About 90% of substance abusers are youth between 12 and 25 years with students accounting for 40%. More than 85% of substance abusers are from Thimphu.