KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the widespread abuse of synthetic drugs like amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) in Malaysia is making the battle to eradicate drug scourge difficult.
"The shift from organic drugs to synthetic variants is one of the key challenges in addressing the drug problem," he said in response to a question from lawmaker Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin) in parliament.
Shamsul said synthetic drugs make up 74 percent of all drug abuse cases in the country, involving 115,410 individuals as of Sept, 2024 while marijuana (ganja) abuse is lower, with four percent of the population, or 6,750 individuals, abusing it.
Isam asked why drug menace was tough to curb and what programmes have been implemented by the ministry in terms of enforcement, logistics, and rehabilitation treatment.
The National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) manages 30 Narcotics Addiction Rehabilitation Centre (Puspen) and conducts treatment programmes nationwide, Shamsul said, adding that Puspen has a total of 10,000 beds and treats 5,790 drug users.
"AADK, the government and the ministry is trying to improve the skills of our officers to combat this issue, so that we can reduce the rate of drug abuse by 2025," he said.