PETALING JAYA: The National Anti-Drug Agency said cases of illegal substance abuse have shot up in the country, with 145,000 cases recorded in 2023, its spokesman told theSun.
He said the figure is 142,000 higher than in 2019.
He added that drug abuse showed a significant rise in 2023 after the Covid-19 pandemic period, despite showing a decline during the pandemic years between 2020 and 2022.
“New trends such as the use of liquid vapes containing drugs as well as the use of male sexual enhancement pills contributed to the increase in drug abuse cases in the post-pandemic era.”
The agency also revealed that the largest age group with drug abuse problems from 2018 to 2023 was between 19 and 39.
It observed that there was an increase in men in the 30 to 50 age bracket using enhancement pills to boost their libido or sexual performance.
“Often, sex enhancement pills are unapproved by the authorities but distributed among friends. Once they experience an improvement with it, they use it regularly until it becomes an addiction.”
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Public Health Medicine specialist Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh said the use of vape liquids containing drugs is more difficult to track as the devices used may be small and easy to conceal.
“This makes monitoring and controlling such drug use more challenging for the authorities as it allows users to consume these substances in public without drawing attention.”
Sharifa Ezat said unlike traditional ingestion methods such as swallowing pills or capsules, vaping allows substances to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream via the lungs.
“As a result, individuals seeking a quick and potent high or immediate relief from discomfort may opt for vaping as their preferred method of drug delivery.”
She said the Covid-19 pandemic had a profound and far-reaching impact on people’s mental health and well-being.
“The pandemic generated significant stress that was influenced by several factors, including social distancing, the loss of loved ones, financial instability and a perceived lack of family support.
“This combination of stressors contributed to raising suicidal behaviour and self-harm, and for some, drug use as a coping mechanism.”
She said vaping is just as harmful as conventional drugs as it introduces microorganisms into the lungs, potentially causing lung abscesses and bacterial spread into the bloodstream and body.
“The substances used in such vapes are also dangerous, causing neurological damage, delusions, hallucinations, cravings and psychological instability that can persist even after quitting drugs.”
Pengasih Malaysia Association, which was formed by a group of former drug addicts in 1991, claims to have assisted thousands of addicts in their recovery process.
Its clinical psychologist Ashwin Thind said apart from regulations and supply reduction efforts, the government must consider implementing effective prevention strategies.
* He said a large number of young adults are attracted to new psychoactive substances because they are trendy and undetectable through urine tests.
