Overall Drug Use Down in Singapore; Heroin Use Up

The number of drug abuse cases in Singapore has fallen in the first half of 2009, dropping by 13 percent to 820 cases. According to the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), repeat cases also went down by 13 percent. However, heroin abuse increased by 21 percent.

Authorities said this was due to a lack of Subutex on the market, a drug developed to help people withdraw safely from opiates. Subutex was outlawed in Singapore a few years ago after users started abusing it.

Ng Ser Song, deputy director of CNB, said, "Of course, we are concerned with the heroin situation ... given our proximity to the Golden Triangle. But we believe that if we keep up with our preventive efforts and...enforcement actions, we should be able to keep the situation under control."

In terms of racial groups, the Malay community showed the greatest improvement, with an 18 percent drop in the number of drug arrests. For the first six months of 2009, the Chinese community had the most drug abusers arrested (348), while the Malay community saw 341 cases. Indians registered 113 cases.

The CNB said it seized larger quantities of marijuana, ecstasy, and crystal meth so far this year.

As for inhalant use in Singapore, which includes glue sniffing, the numbers remained the same at 344 cases, the same as in 2008.
 

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