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Taiwan's drug busts, addiction on the rise: DOH

Both the volume of drug busts and the number of drug addicts have surged noticeably over the past seven years, while the age that people first have contact with narcotics has dropped, sources from the Department of Health said yesterday.

Speaking at a national anti-narcotics conference, Li Jih-heng (李志恆), director-general of the National Bureau of Controlled Drugs, said that about 1,000kg of illicit drugs were seized by law enforcement authorities in 1998.

This is a figure that had soared eight-fold to some 8,000kg by last year.

Meanwhile, Li said, the number of drug addicts checking into psychiatric centers and related institutions to end their addiction has surged from 1,000 to 12,000 people.

Officials from the Taoyuan Psychiatric Center told the conference that the age of first-time drug users was 17.3 years last year, compared to 20 a decade ago.

Heroin is the most difficult narcotic to kick, Li said, while heroin addicts are also most vulnerable to AIDS infection.

To help these addicts get rid of their habit, the health department has decided to choose 50 heroin addicts who are also HIV positive to be candidates for buprenorphine treatment starting next month, Li said.

Buprenorphine is currently one of the most effective medicines capable of helping AIDS patients quit heroin addiction.
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