Prevalence of non-medical drug use and dependence among school-going adolescents in Malaysia

Drug abuse can be defined as the use of drugs in a manner that deviates from medical prescription. The negative effects of drug addiction are well known globally, and millions are estimated to suffer from drug use disorders and require treatment services. In Malaysia, recent studies have shown that the great majority of drug users are young adolescents. This trend has now spread to schools and has caused a significant rise in cases of drug abuse annually. Unfortunately, to date, there are no recent data regarding the prevalence of drug and substance abuse amongst school-going adolescents in Malaysia. This study aims to assess the rising prevalence of drug abuse among school-going adolescents in Malaysia through a nationwide representative survey. A total of 3,382 secondary school students participated in this study. They were selected from hotspot areas in Malaysia using a multistage stratified cluster sampling technique. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews, assisted by school counsellors. The Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) was utilized to measure the frequency of drug use according to type, and the adolescents’ involvement in drug abuse and drug-related behavior. Descriptive analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences to determine the prevalence of drug abuse among the students. The prevalence of current drug abuse among the adolescent students was found to be 3.9 % for those who had used drugs in the past 30 days. Meanwhile, lifetime use was found to be 9.6%. The most popular drugs used were kratom (Mitragyna speciosa), followed by hallucinogens and cannabis. Most drug users were male students, and the average onset age of drug use was 16. Special attention and urgent action from relevant agencies are thus needed to address this critical issue in the country.

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