Ministerial statement: K Shanmugam on Singapore’s national drug control policy

Singapore is “fighting a war” - against those who profit from the drug trade at the expense of hundreds of thousands of innocent lives, said Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam. In a ministerial statement in Parliament on Wednesday (May 8), Mr Shanmugam highlighted the global and regional drug situation, the threat from the drug trade and Singapore’s approach to that threat, attempts to spread misinformation and undermine aspects of Singapore’s drug policies, as well as Singapore’s plans to further strengthen its drug control policies. Mr Shanmugam told the House that Singapore has a strict national drug control policy that is necessary, effective and well-supported by Singaporeans. Its strict approach has saved thousands of lives. Mr Shanmugam said all things being equal, the number of drug abusers in Singapore should have gone up in the last 30 years as supply in the region has exploded and purchasing power has increased significantly. “But instead, the number has gone down. By that alone, I say we have saved the lives of thousands of potential abusers,” he said. “This is the war that we are fighting in Singapore and if we do not fight it or if we lose it, then thousands in Singapore will suffer,” he said. Mr Shanmugam told the House that Singapore is considering what else needs to be done to ensure that its laws can be properly supported. He stressed that there is broad support from the population because the Government has been upfront and open. “Our drug control policies have been effective. But the drug situation continues to be challenging - abroad certainly, but at home as well. And we have to respond robustly to these challenges so that we do not have a generation caught up with drug addiction, so that our children can inherit a country that is safe and free of drugs and have the same environment that we enjoy today,” he said.