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Drug use surges among tech-savvy young people
By Lee Hyo-jin
Three men in their 30s were arrested on Aug. 21 for alleged drug use at a camping site in the southeastern port city of Ulsan. Surveillance footage showed one man, half-naked, tumbling into the bushes and then slapping himself in the face, while the other two attempted to drive a car with the doors open.
They were found to be on lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), a potent psychedelic drug which induces hallucinations, according to the police.
On Monday, a woman in her 20s and a man in his 30s were apprehended for allegedly using methamphetamine at a hotel in the southwestern metropolitan city of Gwangju. The two had met through an anonymous chat app, where the man offered drugs to the woman.
These are just two of the many drug crimes reported recently, which suggest that narcotics have become more accessible, as the dark web, social media and cryptocurrency transactions make it easier to trade illegal substances.
According to data from the National Police Agency, the number of drug arrests involving people under the age of 19 has nearly tripled in three years, from 104 in 2018, 164 in 2019, 241 in 2020 to 309 in 2021.
Drug offenses among people in their 20s have also seen a steep rise during the same period to reach 3,507 in 2021, up from 1,392 in 2018, 2,422 in 2019 and 3,211 in 2020.
Korea is now far from being a drug-free nation, according to attorney Park Jin-sil, who has over 15 years of experience specializing in drug-related cases.
"The surge in illicit drug use is observed particularly among juveniles and young people in their 20s and 30s, who now account for over half of the total cases," she told The Korea Times over the phone. "Unlike the past when drug dealing activities took place in a complicated manner, buying has becoming so easy on the internet."
Police data showed that the number of intercepted drug trades through the dark web and involving cryptocurrency stood at 832 in 2021, a nearly 10-fold jump from 85 in 2018.
Among other substances, Fentanyl ― a powerful opioid used as a pain medication ― and Dietamin ― an amphetamine that can be prescribed as an appetite suppressant ― are spreading fast among teenagers due to a lack of thorough prescription procedures, Park said.
In order to tackle drug offenses among young people, what Korea needs more of now are preventive measures rather than strengthened punishment, the lawyer viewed.
"Many young people who face a court on drug charges are first-time offenders. But due to a lack of facilities offering rehabilitation and treatment, they end up using again after they finish their sentence," she said, adding that there are only about 25 hospitals or centers offering rehab programs across the country.
"The government should increase engagement to help the people break out of the cycle. Drug addiction isn't something that can be handled easily within a household. The authorities need to show more commitment to prevent drug misuse and treatment among the young population."
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