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New synthetic drugs are a source of worry

SINGAPORE — Despite an improved drug situation here in the first half of this year, the authorities remain concerned about two areas: The use of so-called “legal highs” that are beginning to flood the market globally and misguided attitudes towards cannabis, created by the drug’s legalisation in some jurisdictions.

Drug abusers arrested from January to June. Source: CNB

Drug abusers arrested from January to June. Source: CNB

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SINGAPORE — Despite an improved drug situation here in the first half of this year, the authorities remain concerned about two areas: The use of so-called “legal highs” that are beginning to flood the market globally and misguided attitudes towards cannabis, created by the drug’s legalisation in some jurisdictions.

The number of drug abusers arrested from January to June this year fell one-fifth to 1,524, compared with the same period last year, half-yearly statistics released by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) yesterday showed.

The value of the drugs seized in that time — about S$4.71 million — was also worth half of that last year.

Nevertheless, Senior Minister of State (Home Affairs) Masagos Zulkifli noted that there is still much work to be done.

“Globally, New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), which are chemically modified substances that mimic the effects of controlled drugs, are beginning to flood the market. They are touted as safe and legal to use, yet there have already been reports of deaths in the overseas media arising from their use,” he said.

The authorities made clear their stance on NPS in May by reclassifying them as Class A controlled drugs, making the abuse of such substances an offence punishable by imprisonment and caning. Prior to that, while NPS could be seized, the trafficking, manufacture, import, export, possession or consumption of them did not constitute an office.

The CNB has made 18 NPS seizures since the reclassification.

Mr Masagos also noted that the legalisation of cannabis in some jurisdictions, such as Colorado in the United States, reinforces the impression that these drugs are “less dangerous”.

“These are gross misunderstandings. There is no such thing as a soft drug. One cannot experiment with drugs and not expect to get hooked,” he warned, adding that any drug abuse has long-term implications on the abuser or could result in the abuser searching for more potent highs.

“Already, young drug abusers below the age of 30 tend to abuse drugs such as methamphetamine and cannabis, which they wrongly perceived to be less addictive.”

Cannabis was the third most commonly abused drug, making up 5 per cent of the total arrests made between January and June.

Heroin and methamphetamine were overwhelmingly the drug of choice — more than nine in 10 of those arrested abused these, similar to the situation last year.

In terms of arrests, what is notable is that while repeat offenders continued to form the majority of arrests (69 per cent), their numbers have dropped 22 per cent. But similar to last year, under-30s made up the majority of new drug abusers arrested (67 per cent).

While the amount of drugs seized in the first half of this year has fallen, the CNB said the regional situation, which could affect Singapore, has not improved.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s World Drug Report 2014 showed that the global area of illicit opium cultivation last year was 296,720ha — the largest area since 1998, when estimates first became available — with one-fifth produced in South-east Asia.

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