Many Asean member state governments are no strangers to the social and security ramifications of the illicit drug trade. Indeed, many greater Mekong region states have been locked into a war against drugs, especially heroin, for decades. But even for these countries, the scale of previous illicit drug challenges is being overshadowed by the rapidly evolving methamphetamine crisis.
The increasing volume and purity of methamphetamine being produced in Myanmar is pushing the Asean region towards what can only be termed a drug epidemic.
Unfortunately, the region is ill-prepared to deal with the problem in terms of law enforcement strategy, let alone medical treatment or the social impacts of a full-blown drug epidemic. Even with their extensive social safety nets, over the past decade, the US, Canada and Australia have been ravaged by methamphetamine.
