According to a decision by the Narcotics Control Committee of Wuhan, also capital of central China's Hubei Province, workers from the committee will carry out sudden inspections and check-ups of all entertainment venues in the city, including disco halls and night clubs, during the campaign, which began on March 9.

Places of entertainment found to have allowed use of narcotics will be closed for rectification, said the decision.

A special working group will be formed to carry out full-range inspections into organizations engaged in trading of chemicals that are easily used as raw materials for making different forms of narcotics and only organizations that have strictly implemented relevant narcotics-control regulations will be issued with new business licenses.

Though use of drugs disappeared in the Chinese mainland for many years, it has made a comeback and become rampant along with the economic development in many places of the country, especially in urban areas.

A survey shows that 30 percent of "ice drug" takers detained by the police in Wuhan were first found in various pleasure-seeking places like night clubs and disco halls.

(People’s Daily 03/12/2001)