The Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) in collaboration with the Bhutan Narcotics Control Authority (BNCA) is currently carrying out drug tests for all tourist guides. Two guides have so far tested positive.
The mandatory drug test started in December last month.
From around 4,000 registered tourist guides in the country, 956 have so far undergone the tests. According to the TCB, the test is to maintain a drug-free tourism sector and support the Nation’s effort to curb drug abuse.
As per the tourist guides’ code of conduct in the Tourism Rules and Regulation 2017, ‘A guide shall at no given time be under the influence of alcohol or narcotics, cigarettes or any other banned substances.’
Meanwhile, the two guides who tested positive have had their licenses suspended and are handed over to the BNCA for treatment and counselling purposes. The re-issuance of their licenses according to TCB will depend on receipt of the treatment completion letter from BNCA.
The test will go on till February next month.
Pema Seldon Tshering
