Emerging patterns of substance abuse and related treatment in China

Abstract

Purpose of review 

The situation of China drug use has seen dramatic changes in recent years. The aim of this review is to give a perspective of the current situation of drug abuse, the problems associated with it, and the strategy to control it in China.

Recent findings 

The number of registered drug users and newly discovered drug users had declined for 5 consecutive years, Moreover, the scaling down of drug trafficking and drug-related crimes had been seen for recent years. There are four main drug treatment modalities in China. The drug abuse and its related problems in China face new challenges, including the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the role of compulsory treatment is overemphasized, the voluntary treatment facilities and community treatment cannot meet the requirements of Chinese society, and the coordination among government departments in drug control and treatment in China need to improved.

Summary 

With years of the joint efforts, the overall drug situation kept improving. The drug abuse and its related problems in China still is a problem, and require effective and immediate interventions.