The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has set up an official Web site dedicated to its campaign against drug abuse.
In a statement on the Web site, Minister of Justice Morley Shih (
Drug abuse often leads to other criminal conduct and activities, as addicts look for cash to sustain their habit, Shih said.
According to statistics provided by the ministry, the volume of drugs seized by the government in its crackdown has been increasing in recent years.
In 2001 law enforcement officials seized more than 2 million units of various forms of drugs. This figure rose to more than 8 million units in 2003 and further to 13 million units last year.
Meanwhile, the number of people indicted for trading, trafficking, possession and using drugs has also risen in recent years. From January to November last year, 27,152 people were indicted under the Violation of the Narcotics Endangerment Prevention Act (
Aside from offering information on issues such as signs and symptoms of drug abuse, the Web site offers stories of people who successfully overcame a drug habit.
The ministry is currently working on amending a law that would enable authorities to detain users of minor drugs and force them to undergo treatment.
The proposed amendment should help young people that have become hooked on minor drugs such as ketamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ecstasy) or flunitrazepam, which are frequently found in pubs or KTVs, according to the ministry. A stricter law could also act as a deterrent for potential drug users.
Under the current law, while selling or transporting third-class, or minor, drugs is a criminal offense, those caught using these drugs do not face criminal charges.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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