https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/m...0-arrested-2024-youngest-was-13-years-old-cnb
singapore
A total of 3119 drug abusers were arrested in 2024.
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Danial Zahrin
PUBLISHED ON February 12, 2025 6:00 PMByChing Shi Jie
From 97 to 126 — the number of new drug abusers aged below 20 arrested in 2024 has increased by 30 per cent as compared to 2023, said the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) on Tuesday (Feb 12).
Data from the Singapore Drug Situation Report released on Tuesday showed that out of the 3,119 drug abusers arrested in 2024, 966 were new offenders. Among them, 507 — 52 per cent — were aged below 30.
This is the second year in a row where more than half of new drug abusers arrested were aged below 30, said CNB.
Overall, the total number of drug abusers arrested in 2024 declined by one per cent, as compared to the 3,122 arrested in 2023.
"While Singapore's drug situation generally remains under control, worrying trends in youth drug abuse persist," said CNB Acting Director Leon Chan.
"In 2024, the youngest abuser arrested was a 13-year-old."
Citing a 2022 survey conducted by the Institute of Mental Health, Chan noted that the arrested teen was far younger than the average onset age of drug abuse of 16 years old.
There were also more new female drug abusers arrested, with the number rising from 184 in 2023 to 213 in 2024. They now make up 22 per cent of all new drug abusers arrested.
Methamphetamine, heroin, and cannabis were the three most commonly abused drugs in Singapore last year.
Out of the 966 new drug abusers arrested in 2024, 720 — 75 per cent of them — abused methamphetamine. This is a 20 per cent increase from the 599 arrested in 2023.
Meanwhile, 61 per cent of cannabis abusers arrested were new cannabis abusers.
More than half of the new cannabis abusers arrested were below 30 years old, which suggests a growing trend of "permissiveness towards cannabis among our youths", said Chan.
CNB also dismantled 25 drug syndicates in 2024, including those operating on messaging app Telegram to "target young people".
The drugs seized during the raids have an estimated market value of about $13.5 million, they added.
There was an increase in both methamphetamine and cannabis seizures, by 35.2 per cent and 3.1 per cent respectively.
Meanwhile, seizures of heroin fell by 21 per cent from 83kg in 2023 to 65.5kg in 2024.
While CNB continues to uphold their tough enforcement stance on drugs, and collaborates with various partners on preventive drug education programmes, Chan called on the public to take a strong stand against drugs.
Parents play a crucial role in this, he added.
"By actively engaging children in conversations about the harms of drugs, we can better safeguard them from misinformation and misleading ideas that normalise drug-taking behaviours."
singapore
More new drug abusers under 20 arrested in 2024; youngest was 13 years old: CNB
A total of 3119 drug abusers were arrested in 2024.
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Danial Zahrin
PUBLISHED ON February 12, 2025 6:00 PMByChing Shi Jie
From 97 to 126 — the number of new drug abusers aged below 20 arrested in 2024 has increased by 30 per cent as compared to 2023, said the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) on Tuesday (Feb 12).
Data from the Singapore Drug Situation Report released on Tuesday showed that out of the 3,119 drug abusers arrested in 2024, 966 were new offenders. Among them, 507 — 52 per cent — were aged below 30.
This is the second year in a row where more than half of new drug abusers arrested were aged below 30, said CNB.
Overall, the total number of drug abusers arrested in 2024 declined by one per cent, as compared to the 3,122 arrested in 2023.
"While Singapore's drug situation generally remains under control, worrying trends in youth drug abuse persist," said CNB Acting Director Leon Chan.
"In 2024, the youngest abuser arrested was a 13-year-old."
Citing a 2022 survey conducted by the Institute of Mental Health, Chan noted that the arrested teen was far younger than the average onset age of drug abuse of 16 years old.
There were also more new female drug abusers arrested, with the number rising from 184 in 2023 to 213 in 2024. They now make up 22 per cent of all new drug abusers arrested.
Methamphetamine, heroin, and cannabis were the three most commonly abused drugs in Singapore last year.
Out of the 966 new drug abusers arrested in 2024, 720 — 75 per cent of them — abused methamphetamine. This is a 20 per cent increase from the 599 arrested in 2023.
Meanwhile, 61 per cent of cannabis abusers arrested were new cannabis abusers.
More than half of the new cannabis abusers arrested were below 30 years old, which suggests a growing trend of "permissiveness towards cannabis among our youths", said Chan.
CNB also dismantled 25 drug syndicates in 2024, including those operating on messaging app Telegram to "target young people".
The drugs seized during the raids have an estimated market value of about $13.5 million, they added.
There was an increase in both methamphetamine and cannabis seizures, by 35.2 per cent and 3.1 per cent respectively.
Meanwhile, seizures of heroin fell by 21 per cent from 83kg in 2023 to 65.5kg in 2024.
While CNB continues to uphold their tough enforcement stance on drugs, and collaborates with various partners on preventive drug education programmes, Chan called on the public to take a strong stand against drugs.
Parents play a crucial role in this, he added.
"By actively engaging children in conversations about the harms of drugs, we can better safeguard them from misinformation and misleading ideas that normalise drug-taking behaviours."
