Singapore schools will soon include anti-drug messages in their curricula. This move comes amid reports showing a spike in drug abuse among youngsters, including teenagers who started using illicit substances before turning 18.
According to Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, young drug users below 30 make up about 27 percent of the total drug abusers in Singapore. Data from the Central Narcotics Bureau further reveals that there was an almost 17 percent increase in young drug abusers arrested in 2023 compared to 2022.
Preventive drug education will be extended to other subjects in school curricula. At the same time, messages will be reinforced in institutes of higher learning, such as orientation sessions and pre-departure briefings for overseas trips. Minister Faishal noted the need for a whole-of-community effort, including robust, credible research, to shape the attitudes of young people and tackle increasingly pervasive and liberal views on drug use. He cited a 2023 Institute of Mental Health study that showed that 4 out of 10 drug abusers in Singapore had started abusing drugs before the age of 18. At this developmental stage, young people’s lack of maturity leaves them susceptible to influence and the belief that trying drugs has no harm.
MHA is conducting studies with IHLs to understand the various factors for drug abuse, including biological, psychological, and social aspects. The studies conducted by MHA with Nanyang Technological University will provide research-based evidence to strengthen drug prevention and rehabilitation efforts. A panel discussion at the Harm Prevention Seminar included Professor Emeritus Harvey Milkman from the Metropolitan State University of Denver and Dr. Leung Chi Ching, the lead psychologist at the Home Team Psychology Division.
Dr. Leung said the support of families and the wider community is needed even after an abuser is incarcerated. To emphasize the importance of family and community coming together, the Ministry of Home Affairs held the Harm Prevention Seminar. In addition, Dr. Leung highlighted how outcomes for young people who take drugs at a younger age are much, much worse than for someone who takes drugs in their late adolescence or early adulthood. During the period of adolescence, the youth’s brain is developing, and introducing an addictive substance at this stage affects brain development considerably.
Singapore is taking the proper steps to ensure that young people are made aware of the harmful effects of drug abuse. Youths need to be made aware that drug use has dire consequences for their health and livelihoods, and these preventive measures are essential to ensure their drug-free future.
