Akhbar Satar said although the problem of drug abuse among teenagers is under control, preventive education needs to be intensified.

He said ongoing efforts to combat drug abuse should focus on a comprehensive and balanced approach through preventive education, law enforcement and strategic cooperation with various parties.

Where enforcement is concerned, police should regularly conduct operations as well as improve intelligence on internal and external syndicates, he told Bernama.

Social activist Lee Lam Thye said family institutions should also play an important role in educating their children to stay away from drugs.

“Combating drugs requires constant determination by all parties and it cannot be left to only certain agencies or groups to solve it,” he said.

As long as there are weaknesses at any level, he said, it will provide opportunities for drug suppliers and users, and the community will continue to be threatened by this menace.

Their comments come in the wake of fresh statistics from the Bukit Aman Narcotics CID, which show that from January to November, RM272.9 million worth of drugs were seized in operations by the authorities.

The drugs include heroin weighing 634.32kg, cannabis (624.51kg), syabu (4,818.64kg) and ketamine (251.63kg).

Nineteen drug-processing laboratories were demolished during the period.

A total of 163,496 drug offenders were arrested, including 25,077 suppliers, 61,629 possessors and 76,790 addicts.

Data from the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) also show that the overall number of drug addicts dropped in 2018 compared to the previous year.

According to its website, 20,223 addicts were documented in 2018 – with 17,315 new and 2,908 relapse cases – compared to 21,354 comprising 18,112 new and 3,242 relapse cases in 2017.

The 2018 statistics also show that 541 addicts were between 13 and 18 years of age, 15,131 aged 19 to 39, and 4,551 over 40.