Women take drugs to be slim, Dewan Rakyat told

The desire to be slim and seeking fun at nightclubs are among the reasons why women get involved with drugs, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Home Minister Masir Kujat said the trend in recent years show that more women were using syabu (methamphetamine or ‘ice’) as a way to maintain their figure.

Other factors include peer pressure and the need to fulfil their curiosity, he said.

Masir said since 2009, a total 4,908 drug addicts in Malaysia were women.

“In 2009, the country recorded 278 female drug addicts, 580 in 2010; 460 in 2011; 439 in 2012; 668 in 2013; 699 in 2014; 1,013 in 2015 and this year, 741 people up till August,” he said in reply to a question from Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong).

Noraini had wanted to know the statistics on juvenile and female drug addicts since 2009; if the number has increased or decreased, what are the contributing factors and the steps taken to curb the social ill.

Masir said, the accumulated figure from the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) showed that more than 5,000 drug addicts in the country were under 18 years.

“In 2009, there were 332 drug addicts who were under 18; 2,241 in 2010; 748 in 2011; 419 in 2012; 405 in 2013; 62 in 2014, 715 in 2015 and 498 people up to August this year,” he said.

He said various government programmes have been conducted to curb drug abuse, particularly among school students.

Yet, the number of relapse cases among school students remain at some 30 percent each year.