ASOD's
current initiatives on drugs are based on the ASEAN Three-Year Plan
of Action on Drug Abuse Control that was adopted at the 17th ASOD meeting
held in October 1994. Prepared by the ASEAN Secretariat and with funding
support from the UNDP, the action plan covers four priority areas: preventive
drug education, treatment and rehabilitation; enforcement; and research.
These programmes are complemented by the efforts of four training centres
in the region: the ASEAN Training Centre for Narcotics Law Enforcement
in Bangkok, the ASEAN Training Centre for Preventive Drug Education
in Manila, the ASEAN Training Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation
in Kuala Lumpur and the ASEAN Training Centre for the Detection of Drugs
in Body Fluids in Singapore.
The ASEAN Training Centre for Narcotics Law Enforcement was established
shortly after the Fourth ASEAN Drug Experts' Meeting in 1979 recommended
that the ASEAN countries recognise the need for specialised training
to improve national services and strengthen the regional network of
narcotics law-enforcement. Key activities undertaken by the centre include:
organizing from 1980 to 1988 nine ASEAN narcotics law-enforcement training
courses participated by all member countries with the help of the US
Government and setting up a three-year training project to meet ASEAN's
needs for long-term projects with the support of the United Nations
Development Programme.
The ASEAN Training Centre for Preventive Drug Education in Manila was
established in 1982 for the specific objective of protecting children
and youth from drug abuse through vigorous and unified preventive drug
education programmes. The Centre's work includes:
" setting up a long-range plan of activities in preventive drug
education in schools and communities in each ASEAN member country;
" coordinating the implementation of the long-range plan; assisting
in the development of an effective and comprehensive drug education
programme in schools and communities in each ASEAN member country;
" conducting continuing research and evaluation in assessing types
of training programmes, new approaches, content and instructional materials;
" planning and carrying out orientation programmes in preventive
drug education for school administrators and training programmes for
educators, designers, practitioners, police and criminal justice officers
and community leaders; and developing and validating the evaluation
instruments for education programmes to prevent drug abuse.
and special projects and activities.