A Preview of Law and Policy in South and South East Asia: Drugs, Treatment and Harm Reduction

This paper is meant to provide a preview of law and policy on drug use and HIV in South and South East Asia, as it relates to interventions with people who use drugs. Besides cataloguing provisions relevant to people who use drugs and the availability of services for them, the paper flags concerns vis-à-vis health and rights of people using drugs that require further research and analysis. At the Consultation, the paper is expected to facilitate policy debate and advocacy with Parliamentarians. The country section summarizes specific legal and policy provisions that affect people using drugs in 15 Asian countries.

Based on the country findings, the paper then discusses broader implications and challenges for health, harm reduction and human rights in Asia.