Among them, approximately 60 percent of those who started drug use are aged 15-25, notably a substantial proportion in the group are aged 13-15 years.
This information was provided by the Department of Investigation into Drug Crimes (C04) under the Ministry of Public Security on the morning of September 4 at a launching ceremony of the “Drug-Free Schools” competition. It was held by C04 in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training.
C04 informed that among synthetic drug users, most are between the ages of 17 and 35, accounting for 70 percent to 75 percent of users who are teenagers, pupils and university students.
At the launching ceremony, Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Vien, Head of C04, mentioned increasingly sophisticated concealment methods from drug-related crimes. Science and technology advancements have been taken advantage to produce a variety of new-generation drugs with high toxicity which are mixed, marinated and packaged in the forms of food, beverages or electronic cigarettes to evade detection by law enforcement agencies.
In 2023, nearly 1,500 people using synthetic drugs showed psychotic symptoms, leading to 30 criminal cases.
In response, C04 has consulted the Ministry of Public Security to organize the "Drug-Free Schools"; competition, which will be broadcast on the national TV channel VTV2 and various digital platforms.
The competition is expected to raise awareness and develop skills for students regarding the Drug Prevention Law and against the dangers of drug use.
