Drug addict numbers are rising more slowly
Print Edition
THE rise in numbers of registered drug addicts in Shanghai has slowed thanks to enhanced efforts to promote basic knowledge about drugs and the risks of using them.
The improvement was announced by anti-drug authorities yesterday, ahead of the 30th International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking that falls on June 26.
By the end of last year, there were 85,045 registered addicts in the city, up 4.6 percent from the previous year — but lower than the 6.8 percent growth at national level.
“More importantly, the proportion of people younger than 35 is also reducing,” said Zheng Wei, deputy director of the city’s Office of Narcotics Control Commission. “The rate last year was 38.8 percent, down 0.5 percentage points from the previous year.”
The number of newly found drug addicts also dropped last year by 918 to 6,125 from 2015.
Zheng said the city had attached great importance to educating youth about the risk of drugs, especially the popular synthetic drugs.
As the city combated more than 2,000 drug-related crimes and seized over 300 kilograms of drugs, 86.1 percent were found to be synthetic drugs, such as smokable methamphetamine and ketamine.
Among the addicts younger than 35, nearly 82 percent had abused synthetic drugs, while the rate among new addicts last year was 92.3 percent.
Zheng said people had four illusions about synthetic drugs, also known as “new-type drugs,” believing they were not addictive and could help them to lose weight. They also falsely believed that taking them was not criminal.
“Never try your luck with drugs,” he said. “Any attempt could lead to serious consequences. Drug addiction is very difficult to give up and many addicts relapse after rehabilitation.”
The city’s administration authority also said that criminals who took drugs showed the highest rate of repeating crimes due to their addiction.
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