The only thing more bizarre than this story was the one last year when oral contraceptives were seized.
There are no effective 'sex drugs' to increase desire. None. There are drugs for men that allow men to have erections. These drugs have no effect on women. Slipping one of them into a woman's drink will have no effect.
Rape and gender based violence are acts of violence, not sex.
Is this the first moral panic of the new era?
Jamie
++++++++++++++++++
Police take aim at sex drugs during Thingyan
Toe Wai Aung
Monday, 04 April 2016
In a policy shift since last year, police have announced they will refrain from seizing contraceptive pills and condoms in their annual crackdown on crime leading up to the Thingyan holiday. Last year, women’s groups and health campaigners protested that police had emptied pharmacists’ shelves of contraceptive medication and devices, as well as pills designed to stimulate sexual arousal.
They complained that depriving people of access to legitimate contraceptive measures could bring unwanted pregnancy and exposure to sexually transmitted diseases.
On March 31 police announced the results of a three-week drive to reduce and prevent crime in advance of the holiday, which some feel has grown increasingly raucous and out of control over the past few years, with increasing alcohol consumption and sexual activity.
“Starting March 7, pre-Thingyan crime prevention measures have been implemented. As of March 30, police have taken action in 2346 cases,” said Police Captain Thi Thi Myint.
These actions include gambling (48 cases), weapons caches (99 cases), excise evasion (130 cases), prostitution (42 cases), narcotics (41 cases), unlawful restrictions on movement (81 cases), more than 1300 vehicle-related cases, and others. In only five cases did police seize sexual arousal pills.
“We are acting to decrease crime at Thingyan. Pharmacies that sell unlicensed sexual arousal pills have been shut down, but we have not seized condoms and licensed emergency contraceptive pills. We have also given talks in townships and wards,” said Kyauktada Central Police Captain Win Tin.
But police will be particularly vigilant against the danger of rape.
“Sexual arousal pills approved under the National Pharmaceutical Act have been implicated in rapes, when young men slip them into women’s drinks,” said a police spokesperson. “Underage girls are particularly at risk, but use is also prevalent among men aged over 40. Many users and vendors are unaware of the side effects.”
While police may be targeting unlicensed sex drugs and arousal drugs implicated in rapes, seizure reports reveal that raids often net far more, and end up including contraceptives like condoms and birth control pills.
“Sexual drugs are included in the prohibited medicine list in the national drug law ... By using these medicines, rape cases could occur. Some young girls don’t know about this kind of medicine, so they are at risk of being raped,” said Pol Capt Win Tin, head of Kyauktada township police.
The new Yangon Region government, headed by Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein from the National League for Democracy, is also involved in managing security for the annual festival.
Speaking outside the Yangon parliament on March 31, the newly reappointed regional minister for security and border affairs, Colonel Tin Aung Tun, said he would act according to instructions from U Phyo Min Thein, despite being nominated by Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Parliament decided earlier this week to deploy 8000 more police during the festivities. Col Tin Aung Tun said several security committees would be formed within the Myanmar Police Force.
“People in Yangon can enjoy the water festival with full security,” he said.
Additional reporting by Ye Mon, translation by Khant Lin Oo
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/yangon/19810-police-take-aim-at-sex-drugs-during-thingyan.html
