Six out of 10 drug users in Korea are in their 30s or younger. That is, it can be said that the youth can face a crisis of drugs. Although there are more and more young drug addicts, there hasn’t been sufficient support to prevent being addicted to drugs and rehabilitate the addicts. “Channel PNU” surveyed to understand the current status of young drug addicts and support to rehabilitate them.

According to the “Monthly trend in drugs for December 2023,” released by the Prosecutors’ Office on February 1st, individuals in their 20s and 30s are the most exposed to drugs. Last year, out of total drug offenders apprehended throughout the year, people in their 20s accounted for 30.3% (8,368 individuals), those in their 30s accounted for 24.2% (6,683 individuals), totaling 54.5% of all cases. For marijuana offenders, individuals in their 30s or younger comprised 78.2% of all offenders. Considering that the hidden crime rate of drug crimes in Korea is 28.7 times according to the Korean Association of Police Science, continuous users of drugs are expected to exceed the figures captured in official records.

■More Drug Users Among Youngsters

Currently, the most significant issue regarding drugs is the decreasing age of drug offenders. The number of drug offenders in their 20s and younger are steadily increasing over the past few years. In 2018, there were 143 drug offenders aged under 20, which soared to 1,477 in 2023, an increase of over 1,000%. Similarly, the number of those in their 20s increased from 2,118 to 8,368, marking a 395% increase. In contrast, drug offenders aged 40 and over, who previously accounted for half of all cases, now make up only around 30% of the total.

The younger generation is easily exposed to drugs due to the dynamic distribution channels of drugs. Now, obtaining drugs has become simple as anyone can purchase them online when deciding to do so. When “Channel PNU” attempted to search for drugs through social media, it was not difficult to reach drug dealers. Secret chat rooms in Telegram were abundant with dealers openly advertising the quantity and price of drugs.

According to the 2022 white paper on drugs, there were more than 100 crackdowns on drug advertisements in 2021 and 2022. However, drug distributors continue to thrive on messaging applications and the dark web. In addition, indiscriminate prescriptions of psychotropic drugs in hospitals also contribute significantly to drug addiction. According to the “Nationwide Survey on Drug Use” with 5,000 individuals, conducted by KBS and commissioned to Hankook Research, almost 65% of those who have ever used drugs reported that they purchased drugs through the hospital. It is common to become addicted to drugs unknowingly after being exposed to prescription psychotropic drugs.

■Drug Addiction as a “Disease”

Once addicted to drugs, users’ daily lives and overall well-being are profoundly disrupted. However, the Korean government focuses solely on drug detection, while being passive in discussions about rehabilitation treatment and prevention. In 2022, when drug offenses increased by 13.9% compared to the previous year and various drug-related issues emerged, the prosecution established the “Special Investigation Teams for Drug Crimes” in four prosecution offices in Seoul, Incheon, Busan, and Gwangju. After the “drug beverage incident at academies in Gangnam,” Han Dong-Hun, former minister of the Ministry of Justice, said, “We will punish drug crimes forcefully,” indicating a policy of zero tolerance towards drug-related crimes.

Experts argue that the solution to the drug problem lies not only in punishment but also in prevention and rehabilitation treatment. Choe Eun-Sang (Prof. of Biological Sciences, PNU), specializing in addiction and neuroscience, stated, “Users habitually take drugs to escape the pain of abstinence symptoms and gradually become addicted. Addicts experience hallucinations, sleep disorders, brain damage, and accelerated aging. In severe cases, they may even lose their lives.” 

Due to its high dependency, once addicted to drugs, it becomes difficult to escape. Moreover, even if one manages to break free from addiction, the craving for drugs stored in long-term memory can resurface at any time. While the exact mechanism of addiction is not fully understood, it is generally known that the euphoria (pleasure) experienced due to neurotransmitters such as dopamine and glutamate in the brain, when drugs are administered, is a contributing factor. When the euphoria diminishes upon discontinuation of drug use, users experience dysphoria (discontentment), a psychological and physical discomfort, as a reaction to euphoria. Addicts use drugs to get off from dysphoria.

Therefore, experts emphasize that prevention is paramount. People need to be aware of the dangers of drugs and empathize with the fact that drugs are diseases. Prof. Choe said, “Drugs are depriving the young of the most important values in life: motivation, a sense of accomplishment, and passion. The best way to quit drugs is “not to experience drugs” at all. People should be informed about the dangers of drugs through education and encouraged to stay away from them voluntarily.”

■Shortage in Rehabilitation Centers

The persistence of drug crimes is largely due to the high recidivism rate. From 2018 to 2022, the recidivism rate among drug offenders averaged 35.3%. This means that one out of every three offenders faces trial again with another drug issue. Particularly, the recidivism rate of psychotropic drug offenders, which make up a great percentage of total drug-related crimes, stands at 40%. Among these repeat offenders, 72.6% are re-prosecuted within a year. Without additional effort to rehabilitate or treat, 21% of the released drug offenders are apprehended again by the police within a year, for the same reasons.

Despite this, there is a severe shortage of hospitals where addicts can seek treatment. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, only 26 institutions in Korea with a total of 301 beds have been designated as rehabilitation centers for drug addicts. Even among these, as of 2022, only two hospitals, Incheon Chamsarang Hospital and Bugok National Hospital, have shown an annual treatment record of more than 10 individuals.

The situation in non-capital areas is even more dire. In the case of Busan, Busan Medical Center was the only rehabilitation center until last year. However, only 12 individuals were treated over five years from 2018 and only one was treated there in 2021 and 2022. Busan Metropolitan Mental Hospital was newly designated as a rehabilitation center later in 2023, but there had been no patients until this February.

Support for rehabilitation centers is also lacking. While the national health insurance service starts to cover drug addiction this year, existing centers are struggling due to inadequate government support and the shortage of personnel. The government has proposed measures such as making counseling centers and operating 24-hour counseling services. However, the overall management of drug issues remains ambiguous, with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety responsible for drug management and the Ministry of Health and Welfare responsible for treatment. About this, a representative from a rehabilitation center in Yeongnam region said, “We are establishing an integrated management system for drug addiction to assist individuals from detection to social reintegration. We are making efforts to coordinate with relevant agencies to conduct integrated case management.”

Reporter You Seung-Hyun

Translated by Lee Soo-Hyun