Ganja on the rise: Melaka and Cheras are new drug hotspots, anti-narcotics data shows
AADK data shows dip in drug use for January-March 2025 compared to the same time last year
Terengganu, Perlis, and Kelantan top drug abuse nationwide
Ganja use is rising in the urban fringe
Dysfunctional homes, peer pressure, economic stress among top reasons for addiction
AADK chief says addiction reflects broader social problems like poverty, lack of education
KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 — Melaka and Cheras have emerged as new hotspots for ganja use in Malaysia, New Straits Times reported today, noting easy access and rising social pressures as key reasons behind the trend.
National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said Melaka recorded the highest number of ganja users in the country with 897 cases, followed by Selangor (551) and Johor (481), based on its survey carried out from January to March this year.
At the district level, Melaka Tengah topped the list with 523 cases, ahead of Alor Gajah (251) and Cheras (169).
'Melaka's location, linked to major highways, makes it a strategic route for drug trafficking,' Ruslin was quoted as saying.
He said Melaka sits along a key transit corridor between Johor in the south and the Klang Valley, which makes it highly accessible for smugglers.
'Cheras, meanwhile, is a large and densely populated urban fringe with access to drug distribution networks,' he was quoted as saying.
Ganja is also known as marijuana or cannabis in English, and refers to the psychoactive drug derived from the cannabis plant, usually consumed by smoking, eating or drinking it for its mind-altering effects.
Reasons for ganja's rise
According to Ruslin, the surge in ganja use is not just about logistics.
He said family dysfunction, including absentee parenting, neglect and domestic conflict, is frequently linked to drug abuse.
'Peer influence among teenagers and youths, especially in low-cost housing or squatter areas, is also a significant factor,' he was quoted as saying.
He added that economic stress was another major driver.
'Unemployment rates and financial pressures could push people into becoming small-scale drug users or dealers.
'For example, Melaka Tengah and Cheras have mixed-income populations and may be more vulnerable to such pressures,' he was quoted as saying.
He said AADK is working to tackle the issue through a biopsychosocial-spiritual model of care, offering not just treatment but life skills and support for long-term recovery.
'Under the i-Pulih AADK model, the agency not only treats drug and substance addiction but also equips users with knowledge and life skills to enable them to lead a healthy life and reintegrate into society,' he said.
'These individuals will continue to receive professional and community support, as the Post Continuum Of Care programme provides recovery capital to support lifelong recovery.'
Packs of ganja seized by officers from Bukit Aman's Narcotics Specialist Task Force are shown in a press conference at the Gombak police district headquarters in 2018. — File picture by Hari Anggara
Numbers down but still worrying
Ruslin also said broader drug use remains high across Malaysia, although the numbers are slightly down.
Between January and March this year, 108,409 people were recorded as drug users – averaging more than 1,200 a day or roughly 50 per hour – though this marked a 10.5 per cent drop compared to the same period last year.
Ruslin said drug addiction is not just a health or crime issue, but also reflected underlying social problems such as poverty, lack of education and weak religious grounding.
Citing AADK statistics, New Straits Times reported the following states and their rate of drug abuse from highest to lowest:
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