Drug Problems in China and Saudi Arabia

An overview of the history of drug use and abuse in China and Saudi Arabia.

This paper examines how China, the most populated nation in the world, and one of the fast developing economies of the 21st century, has a history of drug abuse. It looks at how what started with opium has moved on to China being the leading supplier of new synthetic drugs in the Asian region. It analyzes the drug menace in China and studies it in contrast with Saudi Arabia, which has a zero tolerance policy, so that we can have a better picture of the social and economic impacts of drug abuse on the respective nations. It also highlights the discrepancies in the current system and the need for further reforms.

Outline
Introduction
China (History of Drugs)
People Who Consume Drugs
Present Problems
Drug Trafficking (A Growing Menace)
Measures Taken by the Government
China?s Drug Policies (Laws)
International Collaboration
Awareness Programs
Saudi Arabia
International Cooperation
China and Saudi Arabia
Conclusion
“China is by far the worst affected nation, a history of drug addiction, which spans many centuries. British imperialism wrote a whole new chapter in Chinese history by forcing the free trade of opium into the country. During the early nineteenth century Chinese tea, silk and other products found a great market in Britain and other European nations. Britain was bent upon finding a way to restore the trading equation in its favor. It found in China a land with plentiful opportunity for opium trade. Soon thousands of kilos of British opium entered Chinese market. The result was a drastic reverse in the trading scenario with huge monetary benefits for Britain and a virtual catastrophe for China. Lin Zexu, one of the chief Chinese officials destroyed more than 20 thousand boxes of opium.”