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03/02/2010
Singapore's Heroin abuse on the rise - Death Penalty
Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers nabbed 1,079 heroin abusers in 2009 - a 22 per cent jump from 2008. They made up almost 60 per cent of the total 1,876 drug abusers caught in 2009. -- ST PHOTO: STEPHANIE YEOW
HEROIN abuse in Singapore continues to rise for the fourth year running, even as the drug situation has improved.
Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers nabbed 1,079 heroin abusers in 2009 - a 22 per cent jump from 2008. They made up almost 60 per cent of the total 1,876 drug abusers caught in 2009, according to figures released by the CNB on Wednesday. In 2008, 46 per cent of the 1,925 drug abusers caught were heroin users.
Asked if the rise in heroin abusers was worrying, CNB deputy director Ng Ser Song said he was not 'unduly concerned'. 'It is not a huge jump, but we will keep an eye on it,' he said, adding that the rise was not unexpected.
Mr Ng explained that some former Subutex users would return to shooting heroine after the over-the-counter pill, which was introduced to wean them off their addiction, was banned in 2006 after rampant abuse.
Indeed, the number of subutex abusers arrested fell by 65 per cent in 2009 from a year ago, making up only 7 per cent of drug users here.
Mr Ng said another reason for the increase in heroin abuse is Singapore's proximity to the Golden Triangle, which has become an emerging heroin source. But the rise in heroin abuse is nowhere near the same levels in 1994 when almost 6,000 heroin abusers were arrested.
Overall, the number of drug abusers arrested across all age groups dropped, except for a slight increase of 2 per cent in the 20 to 29 age group. Drug abusers aged 40 and above still formed the majority, at 44 per cent.
New drug abusers also went up slightly from 508 in 2008 to 544 last year.
18:17 Posted by soci | Permalink | Comments (3) | Trackbacks (0) | Email this | Tags: singapore, drug abuse, death penalty
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There's an interesting use of language here: nothing is mentioned about drug USE, only drug ABuse. It would seem that just because a substance is banned by law, any person found using it is automatically classified as an 'abuser'.
However in para 4 the word 'user' is used to refer to those who have a predelection for subutex, but in the next paragraph the writer regains his/her composure of 'guilt by definition' by hanging the favourite label 'abuser'.
> Mr Ng said another reason for the increase in heroin abuse is Singapore's proximity to the Golden Triangle, which has become an emerging heroin source. <
For a cop, this guy doesn't understand the first thing about correlation and evidence, or falsification of a hypothesis. I'm glad he's not out there trying to catch the REAL bad guys.
The death penalty for drugs doesn't work. One should be careful about drawing this conclusion from this hopelessly anecdodal report, but there are many other lines of evidence and reasoning. Some people may get deterred by strict laws and penalties, but not * all * of those who chose to USE prohibited drugs. I suspend my judgment on whether their individuals habots constitute ABUSE... that is too subjective, and I don;t really care what others choose to do with their own bodies.
Posted by: Matilah_Singapura | 04/02/2010
Alternatively, perhaps the death penalty is just too weak a punishment still, with not enough deterrent power. I suggest the authorities look into less pleasant modes of punishment, such as burning at the stake in a public square. The event space outside Ngee Ann City seems very suitable.
Posted by: Rob | 05/02/2010
IMO if one wants a 'healthy' republic, then one should always be suspicious and skeptical of 'authority'. Afterall, it is the people who govern themselves.
It is a fact that in the very near future a whole bunch of 'baby boomers' will be getting old and sick -- lots of them, all at around the same time for the next 20-40 perhaps 50 years, given the fact that lifespans are increasing.
Many of these ex-pot smoking ex-hippies will need MEDICAL MARIJUANA, perhaps metamphetamine, morphine due to a plethora of health problems which they will no doubt experience.
Let's see how 'authority' copes with this, given that many of today's 'authorities' are themselves going to get sick and suffer unimaginable pain.
Posted by: Matilah_Singapura | 05/02/2010
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