- Joined
- Nov 10, 2009
- Messages
- 596
- Points
- 0
Singapore
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Feb 3, 2010
Heroin abuse on the rise
<!-- by line --> By Jessica Lim
Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers nabbed 1,079 heroin abusers in 2009 - a 22 per cent jump from 2008. They made up almost 60 per cent of the total 1,876 drug abusers caught in 2009. -- ST PHOTO: STEPHANIE YEOW
<!-- story content : start --> HEROIN abuse in Singapore continues to rise for the fourth year running, even as the drug situation has improved. Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers nabbed 1,079 heroin abusers in 2009 - a 22 per cent jump from 2008. They made up almost 60 per cent of the total 1,876 drug abusers caught in 2009, according to figures released by the CNB on Wednesday. In 2008, 46 per cent of the 1,925 drug abusers caught were heroin users.
Asked if the rise in heroin abusers was worrying, CNB deputy director Ng Ser Song said he was not 'unduly concerned'. 'It is not a huge jump, but we will keep an eye on it,' he said, adding that the rise was not unexpected. Mr Ng explained that some former Subutex users would return to shooting heroine after the over-the-counter pill, which was introduced to wean them off their addiction, was banned in 2006 after rampant abuse. Indeed, the number of subutex abusers arrested fell by 65 per cent in 2009 from a year ago, making up only 7 per cent of drug users here.
Mr Ng said another reason for the increase in heroin abuse is Singapore's proximity to the Golden Triangle, which has become an emerging heroin source. But the rise in heroin abuse is nowhere near the same levels in 1994 when almost 6,000 heroin abusers were arrested. Overall, the number of drug abusers arrested across all age groups dropped, except for a slight increase of 2 per cent in the 20 to 29 age group. Drug abusers aged 40 and above still formed the majority, at 44 per cent. New drug abusers also went up slightly from 508 in 2008 to 544 last year.
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Feb 3, 2010
Heroin abuse on the rise
<!-- by line --> By Jessica Lim
Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers nabbed 1,079 heroin abusers in 2009 - a 22 per cent jump from 2008. They made up almost 60 per cent of the total 1,876 drug abusers caught in 2009. -- ST PHOTO: STEPHANIE YEOW
<!-- story content : start --> HEROIN abuse in Singapore continues to rise for the fourth year running, even as the drug situation has improved. Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers nabbed 1,079 heroin abusers in 2009 - a 22 per cent jump from 2008. They made up almost 60 per cent of the total 1,876 drug abusers caught in 2009, according to figures released by the CNB on Wednesday. In 2008, 46 per cent of the 1,925 drug abusers caught were heroin users.
Asked if the rise in heroin abusers was worrying, CNB deputy director Ng Ser Song said he was not 'unduly concerned'. 'It is not a huge jump, but we will keep an eye on it,' he said, adding that the rise was not unexpected. Mr Ng explained that some former Subutex users would return to shooting heroine after the over-the-counter pill, which was introduced to wean them off their addiction, was banned in 2006 after rampant abuse. Indeed, the number of subutex abusers arrested fell by 65 per cent in 2009 from a year ago, making up only 7 per cent of drug users here.
Mr Ng said another reason for the increase in heroin abuse is Singapore's proximity to the Golden Triangle, which has become an emerging heroin source. But the rise in heroin abuse is nowhere near the same levels in 1994 when almost 6,000 heroin abusers were arrested. Overall, the number of drug abusers arrested across all age groups dropped, except for a slight increase of 2 per cent in the 20 to 29 age group. Drug abusers aged 40 and above still formed the majority, at 44 per cent. New drug abusers also went up slightly from 508 in 2008 to 544 last year.
