CAMBODIA: Rising drug use
jeopardises AIDS success
PHNOM PENH, 30 October 2008
(PlusNews) - Evidence of the
large-scale use and manufacturing of
methamphetamine in Cambodia could
pose a new challenge to the fight
against HIV/AIDS, warned
non-governmental organisations
(NGOs).
In the capital, Phnom Penh, 14
percent of injecting drug users were
found to be HIV positive in 2006,
rocketing to 35.1 percent in 2007,
according to statistics from the
National Authority for Combating
Drugs (NACD), a government body.
Studies have found that crystal
methamphetamine - commonly known as
"crystal meth" or "ice", and usually
smoked but sometimes injected - is
also associated with high-risk
sexual behaviours that can lead to
HIV transmission and could inhibit
the body's ability to suppress the
HIV viral load.
The potent central nervous system
stimulant is highly addictive,
causing paranoia, delusions and
hallucinations. Studies at this
point have obtained mainly
preliminary data, but indicate that
methamphetamine may also accelerate
the onset of HIV-related dementia
and interfere with treatment
effectiveness.
"Though there are conflicting
findings regarding
methamphetamine ... for HIV
infection," said Frederick Curtis,
senior technical officer for drug
use at Family Health International
(FHI) in Cambodia, "a rise in
crystal meth use in Cambodia looms
as a threat to reversing the
HIV-prevalence trend."
HIV infection levels in Cambodia
declined from 3.7 percent in 1997 to
0.9 percent in 2006, according to
UNAIDS figures.
Street children and sex workers, two
groups at high risk of HIV, are
especially prone to crystal meth
addiction as they abandon the once
popular yama, a local slang name for
amphetamines.
Data gathered by the NACD revealed
that treatment admissions for
crystal meth addiction increased by
18 percent during the first six
months of 2008, compared to the
previous six-month period, while
yama admissions fell by 15 percent.
The trend reflects similar data from
Thailand and Malaysia, reported at
the First Global Methamphetamine
Conference in September 2008 in
Prague, Czech Republic.
"We've also seen that users will
turn to methamphetamines because
they think it will help them
overcome heroine addictions," Curtis
told IRIN/PlusNews.
Addiction dangers and HIV
Crystal meth - with 80 percent
purity - is more addictive than
other drugs and could pose problems
to HIV prevention services in
Cambodia.
Curtis noted that the effects of the
drug, described as an intense rush
of pleasure, were experienced almost
immediately; Yama pills were not as
pure, and the effects only kicked in
after 40 minutes when taken orally.
"This intense euphoria is not lost
on youth looking for new thrills,"
Curtis said. Ice also seemed to be
favoured by an ever younger
population of users, replacing
ecstasy as the drug of choice in
nightclubs and bars.
Cham Sopheap*, 25, a male clubgoer
in Phnom Penh, agreed, and didn't
think meth would put him at risk of
HIV as other drugs did. "The NGOs
teach us not to inject drugs, so we
don't," he said. "I don't understand
how smoking a drug would spread a
disease."
He was more likely to hire sex
workers when using the drug. "I've
done it maybe four times, and every
time I call a prostitute at the end
of the night to lay with me," he
commented.
"Meth doesn't make me feel energised
like I want to have a lot of sex,
but just that I want to lay around
with a girl. I think this leads to
sex."
gc/kn/he
Themes: (PLUSNEWS) HIV/AIDS
(PlusNews)
[ENDS]
Report can be found online at:
http://www.plusnews.org/report.aspx?
ReportId=81207
[This report does not necessarily
reflect the views of the United
Nations]
Services: Africa | Asia | Middle East | Radio | Film & TV | Photo |
E-mail subscription
Copyright © IRIN 2008
This material comes to you via IRIN, the humanitarian news and analysis
service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The
opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations
or its Member States. Republication is subject to terms and conditions as
set out in the IRIN copyright page.
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD
info" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
