The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) said it would launch more antidrug programs and other educational activities in schools amid a spate of homicides and other crimes allegedly committed by people under the influence of illegal drugs.
Statistics released by the ministry on Sunday last week showed that law enforcement authorities confiscated 4,339.5kg of illegal recreational drugs last year, setting a new record. Of that cache, 3,000kg was ketamine from China — also a record-high for drugs smuggled across the Taiwan Strait.
A female college student surnamed Huang (黃), 22, died in a New Taipei City motel room on Sunday last week after drinking alcohol and taking ecstasy during a birthday party with friends.
Her friends told police that Huang had occasionally taken ecstasy and ketamine over the past year, with the drugs supplied by drug pushers at Taipei nightclubs.
In another case in New Taipei City, a 32-year-old man surnamed Lu (盧) was found dead in his Banciao District (板橋) apartment on Tuesday last week after his friends said he had taken ecstasy and ketamine at a party.
In Kaohsiung, a 20-year-old man surnamed Lee (李) allegedly killed his grandparents with a meat cleaver then set the house on fire on March 27 after taking ketamine.
A teenage girl was allegedly stabbed to death on March 15 by her 25-year-old boyfriend, surnamed Chang (張), who said he had hallucinated after smoking a cigarette laced with ketamine and drinking ecstasy-laced coffee.
Some government officials and legislators have called for a crackdown on illegal drugs and for ketamine to be upgraded from a category 3 narcotic to a category 2 one, which would increase restrictions on its use and toughen punishments for its misuse.
Under the Narcotic Drugs Hazard Control Act (毒品危害防治條例), category 1 drugs include heroin, morphine, opium, cocaine and their byproducts, while category 2 drugs include marijuana and amphetamines.
Officials and legislators said ketamine has become a favorite recreational drug among young people and students.
Deputy Minister of Justice Chen Ming-tang (陳明堂) said the ministry has convened panels of legal experts and academics to deliberate the issue and they have recommended not altering ketamine’s status.
“Experts said ketamine is not as addictive as category 1 and 2 drugs, and jailing users might not have the desired deterrent effect,” Chen said.
Ketamine is seen as a “cheap drug,” leading students and other young people to try it due to curiosity and peer pressure, he said.
Chen said the ministry would work with other agencies to carry out drug awareness programs in secondary schools and universities.
Chen said that the legislature passed amendments to the Narcotic Drugs Hazard Control Act in January that increased punishments for manufacturing and trafficking ketamine, along with other category 3 and 4 drugs.
“The aim was to stem drug abuse, and we are sure it can achieve the desired effects,” Chen said.
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