YOUTHS BIGGEST USERS OF ATS DRUGS

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- Of the 8,800 drug addicts recorded from January till October this year, 12.69 per cent of them were youths addicted to Amphetamine Type Stimulant (ATS) drugs.

Deputy Home Minister, Chor Chee Heung, said the ATS drugs had high
demand from youth aged between 19 and 40 years as it was easy to take and to
store.

"The ATS drugs have become a trend among youth drug addicts lately if
compared to the traditional drugs although the price is high," he said at a news
conference to officially launch a national-level anti-drug campaign "Rakan Anti
Dadah" (Rada) here Tuesday.

Chor reiterated that despite the ATS drugs cost of RM2,000 (about US$571) a
month or RM50 (US$14) to RM80 (US$23) daily, it was liked by youths.

"The demand for traditional drugs like heroin has dropped each year. The
young generation find it hard to take drugs like heroin as it has to be
injected," he said.

He said to achieve the objective of a drug-free country by 2015, several
approaches had been taken by the National Anti-Drug Agency (Nada).

He said Rada acted as a programme to educate the youth to take
responsibility for the drugs menace and to help eradicate it besides laying down
good values in the development of the youth.

"The objective of Rada, which is made up of youths aged 18 and above, is to
be the eyes and ears of Nada to battle the drug threat in their respective
areas," Chor said.

Till now there are 3,211 registered Rada members in 12 states to
help Nada.
-- BERNAMA