Students as early as age nine are becoming drug addicts

KUALA LUMPUR - The issue regarding the misuse of drugs among school students and youth are at a worrying level where some at the age of nine have become addicts.

The National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) director-general Sutekno Ahmad Belon said the study found that teens aged 12 to 16 who were at a significant period of development where the risk of abusing the substances.

“A study of the prevalence of drug and substance addiction among the youth in Malaysia in 2022 found the age of those abusing drugs or the majority of those admitted to taking drugs were of the age of 15 to 20 years old.

“However, some respondents admitted to taking drugs as early as nine years old,” he said.

He said such during a speech officiating the Integrated Campaign Towards a Drug and Juvenile Crime Free Malaysia 2023 organised by the Narcotic Crime Eradication Organisation (PJNM).

Also present was PJNM chairman Datuk Zulkifly Ibrahim and PJNM Advisory Board Member Datuk Ser Professor Dr Mohamed Mydin Mohd Musa.

Sutekno said the 2022 AADK statistics report found the highest age category detected as drug abusers and addicts were between the age of 19 to 39 years old.

He explained the group was categorised as the youth and represented 65.9 per cent or 81,112 individuals from the overall abusers and addicts detected of 128,324 individuals.

“The continuous prevention efforts must be implemented to curb drug addiction activities from continuing to spread within the community,” he said.

He said based on the mission and goal of 2025 Controlled Drugs, the Home Ministry through the AADK had planned various strategies in line with the inclusive and holistic National Drug Policy.

“It was for the purpose of driving the government, private and NGO machineries towards overcoming the drug issue in the nation together,” he said.

He said the effective prevention that could aid the nation to combat drug symptoms were through the family institutions.

Sutekno explained the role of families were not only important as well as effective, but it was the best investment to save the lives of the youth generation.