Urgent Need for Compassionate and Inclusive Drug Policy Reform

I write to draw attention to the pressing issue of substance abuse in Bhutan, which was vividly discussed during the recent Community-Led Advocacy Network (CLAN) Summit 2025 in Phuentsholing. The summit underscored the growing urgency for a compassionate, health-centered approach to address the drug crisis in our country.

While the government’s efforts to curb substance abuse through stricter laws and mandatory treatment programs are commendable, it is increasingly evident that punitive measures alone are insufficient. Instead of reducing drug use, these measures are driving individuals struggling with addiction into fear and isolation, perpetuating a harmful cycle of crime and substance dependence.

Participants at the summit, including those with lived experiences of Substance Use Disorder (SUD), highlighted systemic policy gaps that undermine recovery efforts. Key issues raised include:

  1. Inadequate Support Services: The lack of aftercare and reintegration programs, user-friendly processes, and decentralised rehabilitation centres creates significant barriers to recovery. Many individuals face financial and logistical challenges attending SUD classes in distant districts.
  2. Failure to Address Root Causes: Contributors to drug abuse, such as unemployment, mental health issues, and lack of education, remain unaddressed in current policies. Without a holistic strategy, the systemic factors driving substance abuse persist.
  3. Emerging Threats: The rise in heroin use and Bhutan’s targeting by international drug networks demand urgent attention. As representatives noted, health workers and authorities are ill-prepared to tackle this growing challenge, risking a potential heroin epidemic.
  4. Exclusion of Lived Experiences: Effective solutions require the voices of those with firsthand experience. Recovery Allies for Bhutan (RAB Bhutan) emphasized the need for their involvement in policymaking to design practical and evidence-based programs.

The summit proposed actionable steps, including training health workers on overdose prevention, ensuring the availability of Naloxone, decentralising services, and integrating aftercare and reintegration programs. These measures, coupled with a shift from punitive to compassionate approaches, could transform the country’s response to substance abuse.

As Bhutan grapples with this crisis, we must recognize that addiction is not a crime but a public health issue. By embracing an inclusive and health-centered model, we can support individuals in their recovery journeys and strengthen our communities.

Bhutan’s future depends on our ability to act compassionately and wisely in the face of this challenge.

Sincerely,

Sonam Dendup

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