Partners’ influence main factor behind rise in Kelantan female drug addiction

The influence of male partners, whether husbands or boyfriends, is the main reason for the increase in the number of drug addicts among women in Kelantan.

In 2025, there were 598 cases of women drug addicts in the state, compared with 526 the previous year.

National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) director-general Ruslin Jusoh said a study found that stress was the main factor acknowledged by all respondents, with most cases stemming from marital conflicts and husbands’ behaviour that frequently triggered problems.

“This situation pushes women to use drugs to forget their anxiety and emotional pain caused by their partners,” he told Bernama.

Ruslin said that apart from emotional stress, women were often subjected to psychological manipulation by partners who normalised drug use on the grounds of enhancing beauty and productivity.

“They were also influenced by those closest to them to believe that stimulant-type drugs could help with weight management, flatten the stomach after childbirth, and provide extra energy to complete household chores faster.

“The reality on the ground shows that women’s involvement in drug abuse in the state rarely occurs in isolation. On the contrary, the risk of involvement becomes significantly higher when they live in a family environment where a member, particularly a husband, is a drug user,” he said.

He said this was made worse by factors such as neglect and loneliness, especially following divorce or a breakdown in relationships, which caused women to seek temporary solace through illicit substances.

“Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) were the most widely used illicit substances among women in Kelantan last year, with 557 people. Those aged 19 to 39 recorded the highest number of drug abuse cases, involving 409 individuals,” he said.