Despite expanding efforts by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) to crack down on drug abuse here, there has been a 6 percent increase in the arrests of druggies from 2014 to 2015.
A more worrying revelation is the fact that a lot more new drug abusers were arrested — 20 percent more to be exact. According to the CNB, 1,311 new offenders were arrested as compared to 2014’s 1,093. Drugs are hooking in the young ‘uns harder too, with nearly 70 percent of the new offenders being under 30 years of age.
Increasingly tolerant attitudes towards drugs (particularly among older youths) are to blame, says CNB director Ng Ser Song. Amidst lowered opposition against weed overseas (as well as increasing legalisations), the humble cannabis has displaced heroin to become the second most abused drug in Singapore, after meth.
In some good news, the busts led by the CNB last year crippled the operations of 21 drug syndicates and netting $8.56 million worth of drugs — 5 percent higher than in 2014. The popularity of marijuana is also highlighted, with about 26 percent increase in cannabis seizures from 2014’s 35.03kg to 2015’s 44.29kg.
“CNB cannot fight this battle alone,” Ng states. “We will continue to work with parents as well as members of the community to protect our youths from falling into the trap of drug abuse.”
