Rise of synthetic drugs: Over 60pct of users now hooked on lab-made highs

New Straits Times

a day ago

Synthetic drugs are now dominating Malaysia's drug scene, outpacing "traditional" narcotics, fuelled by easy access, cheap price and powerful highs.
Previously, heroin and ganja consistently dominated drug use. However, last year marked a significant shift in this trend.
Of the 192,857 people arrested or who voluntarily surrendered, a staggering 60 per cent professed to be hooked on synthetic substances.
In an exclusive interview with the New Straits Times, National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said this was evident from the sharp increase in cases involving amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), which have become the most commonly detected substances among users.
"In 2024, over 60 per cent of detected drug users were ATS users, compared with around 45 per cent five years ago.
"This trend continued into the first quarter of 2025, with ATS remaining the primary drug among new users, particularly youths aged 19 to 39 who make up nearly 70 per cent of all ATS users.
"The dominance of synthetic drugs reflects a shift in drug abuse patterns in Malaysia, where traditional drugs like heroin and cannabis are being replaced by synthetic ones that are cheaper, more accessible and have stronger psychological effects," he said.
Ruslin said AADK had also detected a trend in the use of synthetic cannabis, such as concentrated THC, cannabis oil and vape products, which were difficult to detect using standard screening methods, making them easier to be consumed discreetly.
In both urban and rural settings, he said, some youths were exposed to social pressure and lacked proper supervision from parents or guardians, making them more susceptible to substance abuse.
In the first quarter of this year, 76,510 users were found to have abused ATS. Data showed there were 139,909 ATS users in 2024, 104,122 (2023), 93,610 (2022), 79,816 (2021), and 83,698 (2020).
Ruslin said in 2024, a total of 1,255 teenagers aged 13 to 18 were recorded as drug and substance abusers. Out of this, 1,003 were using synthetic drugs.
Among the most commonly used substances are methamphetamine, "pil kuda", ecstasy and ganja
GANJA SEEN AS A 'LESS HARMFUL' DRUG
Ruslin noted a worrying trend in how youths now view ganja.
He said social media and pop culture have desensitised the seriousness of ganja, with youths now seeing it as less harmful.
AADK statistics, he said, indicated that more than 40 per cent of new youth addicts were influenced by peers, with ganja often introduced as a "first try" — driven by curiosity or peer pressure in casual settings such as hangouts, small parties or weekend gatherings.
"The belief that ganja is 'less harmful' compared to other drugs further pushes youths to experiment. These activities usually take place without the knowledge of parents or schools."
He added that ganja was often associated with modern entertainment culture, making it particularly popular among urban youths.
Ruslin said youths, especially students, were indirectly exposed to ganja through social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Telegram.
Syndicates operating on these platforms use secret codes, emojis and slang as a "common language" to avoid detection.
"Transactions are conducted online and payments are made through e-wallets, making it more difficult for authorities and parents to trace," he said.
RISE OF PRE-TEEN ADDICTION
Ruslin said teenagers weren't the only ones affected, as AADK had recorded eight drug addicts below the age of 12 since 2021.
"Just last year, we received three reports from their parents. These children were then placed under community-based rehabilitation.
"For kids like these, we allow them to stay with their families while they undergo the rehabilitation process.
"Children as young as 12 require more intensive monitoring by their families, allowing for continuous oversight by both the family and AADK officers in their respective districts," he said.
The elderly are also affected.
Ruslin said over the past five years, 20,917 drug users aged 60 and above were recorded.
"They usually start with traditional drugs, either ganja or heroin. They have taken drugs for an average of 30 years. These are habitual offenders who are trying to get treatment with us.
"Some have been in and out of rehabilitation centres, and it's difficult for them to stop, but they are trying," he said.
'MAGIC MUSHROOM' VAPES
On another front, authorities are monitoring a recent surge in the online sales of vape products marketed as "magic mushroom-flavoured", which are said to contain the psychoactive compound psilocybin, and touted as a "less harmful" option.
Ruslin said AADK, through engagement with the Chemistry Department, had so far found no trace of psilocybin in vape liquids labelled as "magic mushroom".
"Chemical analysis of vape samples sent to the Chemistry Department revealed the presence of MDMB-4en-PINACA, from the synthetic cannabinoid class, which is already listed under the First Schedule of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952," he said.
Laboratory tests on these products showed that they contained dangerous synthetic drugs such as ketamine, phencyclidine and methamphetamine.
"The National Poison Centre emphasises that these substances are more dangerous than psilocybin and can cause severe poisoning symptoms, with the potential to be fatal," he said.