2,000 schools nationwide located in drug risk areas - Anti-drug agency

To monitor and prevent drug abuse among students, the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) has identified the localities of 2,000 schools nationwide as being at high risk of student involvement with drugs.

AADK (Prevention) director Abdul Rahman Hamid said of the total, students at 400 of the schools were involved with drugs, most of which were secondary schools.

He said the students were mostly males aged between 14 and 16, and the schools were mostly found in rural fishing settlements, Felda land schemes and public housing projects located in rural areas.

"Three states with the highest number of drug addiction among students are Kedah, Kelantan and Perak where the drugs being used are conventional and synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine.

"Last year, a total of 1,743 students who tested positive for drugs were detained, and as this figure is quite high and alarming, it is imperative that action be taken," he told reporters after a joint operation to combat drug abuse in Sungai Udang here Friday night.

Elaborating, Abdul Rahman said the agency had been given permission by the education ministry to carry out checks on students as part of efforts to curb student involvement in drug abuse at an early stage.

He added that checks would be conducted in collaboration with the Royal Malaysia Police, and students who tested positive for substance abuse would be sent for rehabilitation.

Abdul Rahman said apart from close monitoring by parents, the screening process carried out in schools should be implemented in a consistent manner.

Meanwhile, he said the agency, together with the health, youth and sports, and women, family and community development ministries intensified efforts to create awareness on the effects and dangers of drug abuse through the National Blue Ocean Strategy.

In the five-hour operation beginning 3pm at an oil palm plantation, 14 drug addicts aged between 31 and 57 were picked up.

Abdul Rahman said one of the suspects, in his 40s who was found in possession of heroin weighing 2.8 grammes was handed over to the police for investigations under Section 39 A (1) Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

-- BERNAMA