8% increase in drug abuser arrests in Jan-June

SINGAPORE — More drug abusers were arrested in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year, with the proportion of offenders below age 30 also inching up.

The statistics for January to June this year released by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) today (Aug 21) show methamphetamine and heroin to be the most commonly abused drugs, making up more than 90 per cent of cases.

About 37 per cent of the 1,684 abusers nabbed were first-time offenders. Of this group, 71 per cent were younger than 30, up 2 percentage points on-year. In absolute numbers, there were 100 more new young abusers arrested - 438 versus 338.

As the CNB had flagged previously, cannabis abuse is a growing concern. There was an 18 per cent increase in such abusers.