“Illicit drugs” indicated in the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act refer to anesthesia drugs and their products and psychoactive substances and their products that are addictive, abusive, and hazardous to society. According to the features, namely “addictive”, “abusive”, and “hazardous to society”, illicit drugs are divided into four categories.

 

The Narcotics Overuse Reporting Information System of the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2017 showed that the Top 5 drugs of abuse in Taiwan reported by respective authorities are:

 

Heroin - 50.2% equaling 16,537 people

(Methyl) Amphetamine - 30.3% equaling 9,995 people

Ketamine - 6.9% equaling 2,278 people

Tranquilizers - 2.2% equaling 739 people

Zopiclone - 2.6% equaling 850 people

 

Subjects that abuse drugs are mostly in the age group of “40 to 50 years old” (36.9%), followed by “30 to 40 years old” (28.8%). For the type of illicit drug used in each age group, it is mainly ketamine for “less than 20 years old (51.8%), (Methyl) Amphetamine for “20 to 30 years old (50.6%), heroin for “30 to 69 years old” (56.5%), and zopiclone for “over 70 years old” (47.8%).

 

First-time users of illicit drugs are getting younger; there are even elementary school students aged 11 to 13 abusing substances. Think about it. What would be the changes to the life of such a young kid once exposed to illicit drugs?

 

According to the 2017 statistics of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, “20 to 29” (42.3%) ranked first as the age group of first-time users, followed by “19 and below” (23.5%), indicating that nearly 30% of new drug addicts are underage. Although “medium to high age groups” still account for a majority of drug abusers at the moment in Taiwan, the ages of drug abusers have been declining for the past few years. Nearly 1,022 people were reported as students abusing substances in 2017. Among them, mostly were junior and senior (vocational) high school students, accounting for more than 90%, indicating that illicit drugs have reached inside campuses.

Among the drugs abused by students, (such as Ketamine) accounted for the most, nearly 70% of the total number of drugs abused. We continue to hear news of illicit drug abuse on campuses. During the developmental stage when teenagers experience the most changes physiologically, psychologically, and are adapting to stresses in studies, peer relations, and self-identity, they can easily become a drug abuser without anyone knowing.