NCJ Number
119827
Journal
Bulletin on Narcotics Volume: 41 Issue: 1 & 2, double issue Dated: (1989) Pages: 53-65
Date Published
1989
Length
13 pages
Annotation
The rapid growth of the drug addiction problem in Malaysia led to an increased awareness of the need for a system for continuous monitoring of the situation and to the establishment in 1978 of a fully integrated national reporting system.
Abstract
Preliminary work on the system design began in 1976. The national system links all public services and agencies that come into contact with drug-dependent persons. These agencies include law enforcement agencies, drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation centers, and social and welfare institutions. The information system includes a mechanism for gathering, processing, analyzing, and presenting essential data on the prevention, control, and management of drug abuse problems. It also includes reporting on drug-related events like hospitalizations and arrests and on known addicts and new cases of addicts. The system has been used for the routine monitoring of the extent, trends, patterns, and other characteristics of problems and for policymaking and program planning. Data from the system led to an estimate that the prevalence of drug addiction increased from 84.3 to 754.6 per 100,000 people between 1976 and 1986. In 1986 Malaysia had an estimated 119,000 drug-dependent persons. Figures and 7 references. (Author abstract modified)