Women beat the scourge of drugs

Turning point

By 2006, there were no new cases of drug use in the village. Because of their efforts and dedication, Pai Nanxiang and her teammates were honored as national rule-of-law figures that year.

Walking around Kanan, which is home to members of the Jingpo ethnic group, two- and three-story villas can be seen on both sides of the paved road, and mango trees flourish in front of almost every house. Motorbikes are the main form of transportation, while better-off families have cars.

"It is a beautiful village now, but back then, the houses were poorly built and thefts happened quite often," Yang Guo, an officer at the nearby Jiele border station, said.

"I have been working here in Kanan village for over a decade. In addition to border patrols, our duties include prevention of drug use, educating local people about drugs and monitoring those who have recovered to prevent relapse," the 43-year-old said.

People now can resist illicit drugs voluntarily after 40 years of anti-drug education.

"Some of the villagers have started their own businesses, and some have found jobs in other cities. Life is becoming much better now," Yang said.