The suppression of illicit opium production in Viet Nam: an introductory narrative

Between 1990 and 2001, Vietnamese opium production declined by 98%: the causes of this
reduction have received minimal academic attention. As Viet Nam is one of only a handful of
states which have successfully suppressed illicit opium production, the somewhat surprising
lack of scholarly attention represents an underutilised opportunity. As such, this paper
represents the first step towards rectifying this gap in the knowledge base. The available
evidence suggests that a number of components converged to permit suppression: (1) The
state possessed authority over the majority of its territory; (2) The state placed opium farmers
under extensive surveillance; (3) The state possessed leverage (rural development and law
enforcement) in negotiations for ‘voluntary’ eradication; (4) The elite perceived suppression
as in their best interest. Additionally, while the state pledged support to develop alternative
livelihoods, few farmers received state assistance. This would suggest that disentives, rather
than the establishment of alternative incomes, were the primary motivation for the cessation
of opium production. While Viet Nam was successful in suppressing illicit opium production,
the negative impact of the intervention on (ex)-opium farmers and their communities
demonstrate the limitation of the Vietnamese approach.