According to statistics from AADK, Malaysia recorded 192,857 drug users and addicts in 2024, a 32.5 per cent increase from the 145,526 cases the year before.
Statistics also show that 61 per cent of these individuals are aged between 15 and 39. This is slightly down from the 63.2 per cent in 2023.
Rumah Sahabat lead coordinator Mohamed Shamseer Sarwar told CNA that requests for drug rehabilitation services at the centre have been relentless. Currently, Rumah Sahabat has hit full capacity, with 150 residents living there seeking treatment for their addiction.
“Everyday we have people asking us to take their loved ones in. Drugs are still a serious issue,” said Shamseer, who has been based at the centre since 2017.
While “traditional drugs” such as heroin and cannabis remain in circulation, synthetic narcotics like methamphetamine and designer drugs have taken centre stage.
Shamseer – a former drug user now turned counsellor – observed that for every 10 people who are enrolled in Rumah Sahabat, at least eight were addicted to synthetic drugs.
“Many come here with mental (health issues) caused by the use of the drugs,” he said.
According to statistics released by the AADK, the most used drugs last year were amphetamine-type stimulants which were involved in over 70 per cent of drug use cases. This is then followed by opiates like morphine and heroin (about 23 per cent), and marijuana (4 per cent).
Sundramoorthy said that drug use in Malaysia cuts across age groups, with worrying signs of rising experimentation among youths and even schoolchildren.
“Urban poverty, fractured family structures, joblessness, and mental health issues all serve as fertile ground for addiction,” he said.
