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Singapore to do more to address worrying trend of drug abusers starting young: Teo Chee Hean

SINGAPORE — The authorities are concerned by a survey finding that drug abuse among Singaporeans starts before the age of 16, and at home, where young people should have parental supervision and be safe, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean said.

Singapore to do more to address worrying trend of drug abusers starting young: Teo Chee Hean
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  • Drug abuse among Singaporeans starts before the age of 16, and at home, according to an IMH survey
  • This is a cause for concern, said Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, and the authorities intend to reinforce their efforts
  • Singapore practises "harm prevention" and is dedicated to preventing drugs from becoming pervasive in society, he added

SINGAPORE — The authorities are concerned by a survey finding that drug abuse among Singaporeans starts before the age of 16, and at home, where young people should have parental supervision and be safe, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean said.

Given the long-term impact of drug abuse, Singapore will ramp up efforts to tackle the scourge, he added.

Mr Teo, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, was speaking on Wednesday (May 3) at the Central Narcotics Bureau's Workplan Seminar, which coincided with the release of a health and lifestyle survey by the Institute of Mental Health.

The survey, done between April 2021 and July 2022, found that the mean age when people started consuming drugs is 15.9 years old. Drugs were consumed at home for some 30 per cent of respondents who had taken drugs in the past year.

In his speech, Mr Teo mentioned the "increased efforts to educate the public, especially youth, on the harms of drugs".

"We are also countering misinformation and proliferation of liberal drug views on foreign media and social media — something which our youths are particularly susceptible to," he added.

'HARM PREVENTION'

Mr Teo also compared Singapore's approach of "harm prevention" to the "harm reduction" practised in other countries.

Countries that practise harm reduction, which is an approach to reduce the consequential problems from pervasive drug use, have chosen to take this path "because of the circumstances that they have found themselves in where drugs have become so pervasive", he said.

"Drugs have become so prevalent and penetrated so deeply into their societies, that their enforcement, justice, healthcare and social support systems are struggling to cope," he added.

"They have resorted to temporising strategies, as they have reached the point where they have little choice but to allow drugs to circulate and be used openly, despite the known harms to their people."

Such strategies include controlling the spread of blood-borne diseases from addicts sharing needles, Mr Teo said.

In comparison, Singapore's harm prevention approach prevents the harms that drugs can cause from entering and becoming pervasive in society in the first place.

"Rather than try to reduce the harm that has already happened, we prevent the harm that drugs will do to our people,” he added.

“We can avoid being overwhelmed by this problem that has happened in so many other countries.”

Mr Teo also said that a clear majority of Singaporeans "continue to support our tough drug laws, including the death penalty for serious crimes like drug trafficking".

"Singaporeans understand that this is one part of our comprehensive system of measures to keep Singapore, and especially our children, safe." 

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