Deputy PM Pham Thi Thanh Tra takes part in a run to respond to the Month of Action for Drug Prevention and Control. Photo: VNA

The event was broadcast live nationwide from the main venue at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square in Hoan Kiem ward, Hanoi, and linked to 33 provincial and municipal locations across the country.

Opening the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra, Chairwoman of the National Committee for AIDS, Drugs and Prostitution Prevention and Control, paid tribute to the People's Public Security, the Border Guard, and other law enforcement forces for their unwavering dedication, courage and sacrifice in combating drug-related crimes.
Deputy PM Pham Thi Thanh Tra launches the nationwide campaign. Photo: VNA
The Deputy PM also acknowledged the determination of ministries, sectors, local authorities and relevant agencies, as well as the active participation of people from all walks of life in drug prevention and control efforts over the years.

These efforts have yielded significant results, helping maintain a proactive stance against drug-related crimes. Numerous major transnational drug trafficking networks have been dismantled, while drug rehabilitation, post-rehabilitation management, and international cooperation have also made notable progress, she said.
People in Hanoi join in the run to respond to the nationwide campaign. Photo: VNA
However, Tra also warned that drug crimes are becoming increasingly sophisticated and transnational, with criminal organisations making extensive use of digital technology. She stressed that the fight against drugs must therefore undergo fundamental changes in both mindset and methods.

"What we are confronting is not merely drug crime, but the threat of drugs infiltrating every family, every community, and jeopardising the future of part of our younger generation," she said.

The Deputy PM called on ministries, sectors and local authorities to strengthen the core role of the public security force, and mobilise the entire political system, society and all citizens to build drug-free communes, wards and special zones. This must be a commitment by local authorities to the people and active public participation to produce tangible outcomes and serve as an important indicator of local governance quality in the new context.
People in the northern province of Bac Ninh join in the run to respond to the nationwide campaign. Photo: VNA

From Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, Tra officially launched the nationwide campaign, with the goal of ensuring that every locality becomes a safe place to live, where children can grow up securely, families can enjoy lasting happiness, and peace and stability provide a solid foundation for the country's sustainable development.

As part of the programme, participants at the main venue in Hanoi, together with delegates at 33 provincial and municipal locations and 3,321 communes, wards and special zones nationwide, joined in a symbolic ceremony to respond to the Month of Action for Drug Prevention and Control.


People in the northern province of Lang Son join in the run to respond to the nationwide campaign. Photo: VNA 

A special memorial ceremony was also held simultaneously across all venues to honour victims who lost their lives to drugs, officers who sacrificed their lives in the fight against drug crimes, and families affected by drug-related tragedies.

It conveyed a humanitarian message and served as a powerful reminder to society of the devastating consequences of drugs. It also marked an unprecedented demonstration of the strong political commitment of the Party, the State and society as a whole to building drug-free communities nationwide./.