KUALA LUMPUR: Kelantan continued to record the highest rate of new drug addicts with 2,822 people were reported to have started taking the substance last year.
National Anti-Drug Agency (Nada) director general, Datuk Dr Abd Halim Mohd Hussin said there were 878 repeat drug abusers recorded in the state.
Meanwhile, he said Penang recorded the highest number of drug addicts, with 2,383 of them were repeat drug abusers.
“There is a total of 3,844 drug addicts in Penang including the new ones,” he said when contacted today.
Abd Halim urged community members to assist Nada in its effort in combating drug abuse in the country.
“The society can play a role in efforts to reduce the number of both the new and repeat drug abusers.
“Nada is also carrying out its prevention programmes to curb the illegal activity,” he said.
This, he said, included initiatives through community empowerment to address the problem.
“It our shared responsibility in curbing the drug abuse among the people. We need to engage the community as they understand their neighbourhoods better.
“The residents know where the ports (where addicts gather) are, the gathering locations of the youth and areas where people are more prone to subtance addiction.
“We have a higher success ratio if the community is involved (with preventive measures). This is the formula that we are adopting,” he added.
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