Women's drug abuse cases rise by 3.3pct last year

KOTA BHARU: The number of women detected for drug abuse in the country rose to 8,926 last year from 8,638 in 2024.

National Anti-Drug Agency (NADA) director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said youths aged 19 to 39 made up the largest group, with 6,193 cases, followed by adults aged 40 to 59 (2,567) and teenagers (166).

"Amphetamine-Type Stimulants were the most commonly used illicit drugs among women, involving 7,588 people, followed by opiates (762), cannabis (138), psychotropic pills (119) and others, including kratom and cocaine (319)," he said recently.

Ruslin said a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) found that women faced far more complex challenges than men in accessing treatment.

"Although statistics showed that women accounted for a lower percentage, at 4.7 per cent compared with 95.3 per cent for men last year, the barriers they faced were often systemic and emotional.

"Society tends to view drug addiction among women as a greater moral failure compared with men," he said.

He said women also often had more limited financial resources or were economically dependent on their partners.

"Treatment costs, such as transportation to NADA facilities, can be a heavy burden. UNODC reported that women faced difficulties accessing treatment if their partners were also drug addicts who controlled their movements or prevented them from making changes," he said.

Under the Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983, following amendments that came into force on Aug 22, 2025, women can seek voluntary community-based treatment under the supervision of a Rehabilitation Officer or receive free treatment at the Narcotics Addiction Rehabilitation Centre (Puspen).

"We also provide AADK's Borderless Rehabilitation Treatment Mobilisation (MRT) service to rural areas, helping to overcome logistical constraints often faced by women," he said.