China faces new types of drugs and abuses

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01:30

Thirty-four new types of new psychoactive substances, or NPS, were discovered in the past year, bringing the total number of such chemicals to 230. The substances mimic the effects of illegal drugs while exploiting loopholes in anti-drug laws.

“NPS are now a relatively new issue recognized by the international anti-narcotics community. The Chinese government will always respond in an active and responsible manner to solve the issue with other countries,” said Liu Yuejin, deputy director of the China National Narcotics Control Commission (CNNCC).

In 2017, China cracked about 140,000 drug-related criminal cases and arrested about 169,000 drug related suspects.

By the end of 2017, there were 2.55 million drug users nationwide – about 15,000 of them under the age of 18.

A drug prevention education digital platform for youth was launched ahead of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which falls on June 26 of every year. Students can find information on illicit drugs, including tutorial videos and quizzes.

“From a global perspective, we use advanced technology to ensure our children with access to quality resources on drug prevention education,” said Liang Yun, deputy director of the CNNCC.

Cross-border drug trafficking remains a growing problem. The Internet has become a platform for traffickers to collude and make transactions. China however continues to cooperate with its neighboring countries, such as Myanmar and Laos to strengthen drug control cooperation.