Drug addiction rampant among youth
Two years ago, a 19-year-old man committed suicide due to drug addiction. His suicide note read, “I hate the day I started using drugs. If I could, I would start my life new...
Two years ago, a 19-year-old man committed suicide due to drug addiction. His suicide note read, “I hate the day I started using drugs. If I could, I would start my life new. Unfortunately, it is impossible to turn back time. If I were a father, I would warn my children early before they waste time. I have no happiness in this life. Forgive me.”
There are many teenagers and young people in society who have fallen into the abyss of drug addiction, which started out as an innocent curiosity and turned into something malignant.
In the first four months of 2021, 12 teenagers aged 16 to 19 were investigated by the police over drug crime. Of these, 10 children had poor family supervision. Most were orphans or suffered from parental negligence. Therefore, it is important for parents to pay attention to their child.
In a 2018 study by the National Center for Mental Health on the causes of drug use among adolescents, many teens who used drugs explained that they do it to “fit in” with friends.
This year, the police conducted a survey on the use and perception of drugs among children and youth aged 18 to 25. Most young drug users report that they were introduced to drugs by their friends.
As of the first quarter of 2021, the Ulaanbaatar City Prosecutor’s Office has investigated 138 drug-related cases, closed 11 cases, and sent 46 cases to court. A total of 51 people were charged nationwide, a notable decrease from the same period last year. But officials said that overall crime rate decreased due to the lockdown. But the age of those committing drug crimes should be noted. There are three people aged 16 to 17, 24 people aged 18 to 24, 11 people aged 25 to 29, and eight people aged 30 to 34, charged with drug crime this year. So what leads young people to become addicted to drugs?
Lecturer of the Education and Psychology Department of the National University of Mongolia Kh.Sainsanaa said, “Until 25, a person finds their position in society, in relation to their personal development, brain development, and family upbringing. Generally, a person who has reached the age of 25 is considered to have reached adulthood. People under the age of 25 are more impressionable and likely to misbehave. Therefore, 18 to 25 adolescents are at risk for drug use. There are several reasons for this. If a member of the child’s family uses it, the child will think that the solution is intoxication. This is a big risk.”
“In addition, children are more likely to be attracted to the wrong things if they experience anxiety, depression, or even a lack of attention. In one experiment, two laboratory mice were housed in a small empty box and the other in a large, playable area. At the entrance to the two boxes, a cup of water containing morphine was placed. But the mouse that lived in an empty box drank a lot of morphine water. This suggests that a person with no hobbies or interests is more likely to become addicted to drugs. There are international studies that show that hard drugs are 60 times more addictive than alcohol.”
Doctor of the National Center for Mental Health J.Gantulga said, “Teenagers and young people can be addicted to drugs by being interested and imitating others’ actions. On the other hand, there is a risk of being persuaded by others because of a lack of awareness of the dangers of drugs. Addictive substances affect all human organs and systems. The most dangerous have a strong effect on the brain and nervous system. Depending on whether you have used the drug once or twice, whether you have an addiction, or what type of drug you are taking, the treatment is different. Addiction causes structural changes in the human brain. Once an addiction develops, it remains in the human brain for life. It will never go away. After treatment, it goes into a state of recovery.”
“This means that even if an addict is off drugs for six months, 10 years or even a lifetime, the source of the disease will remain for the rest of their life and always present a risk. If you start to feel uncomfortable physically and mentally after not using the substance for a long time, then you are under its power. If you take other substances and use it, you will see temporary relief. Soon your body will begin to crave again. It means you have already fallen into a living hell. Dealing with drug addiction requires a great deal of courage, patience, and effort. Few people can overcome this, so it is best to stay away from drugs entirely. Therefore, it is important for parents to pay attention to their children’s friends and to learn about how they spend their free time. Parents need to be aware of this and stay close to their children. The economic consequences of children and young people who are addicted to drugs is increasing dramatically.”
About this type of crime, Head of the AntiDrug Control Department of the General Police Department G.Davaanyam said, “This is a transnational crime. Unlike other types of crime, it is committed in secret. The Anti-Drug Control Department is a unit responsible for combating this type of crime. In this sense, we are constantly fighting against drug trafficking. Compared with the other types of crime, it is rare for the police to detect or investigate this type of crime. It takes a lot of time, manpower and equipment from the police to detect this type of activity. The police announces the drug crime after a certain period of time. Many related tests are performed to detect this. We are also cooperating with neighboring countries. Information is exchanged within the framework of foreign policy. We are constantly exchanging information on criminals, suspicious substances and goods, and conducting joint inspections.”
“In recent years, the police have been working hard to fight in this type of crime. For example, we train employees. Measures are also being taken to provide equipment and develop foreign relations. There are governmental and non-governmental civil society organizations in our country that have a preventive function. As a result of these collaborations, the detection of drug-related crimes is increasing.”
Eleven years ago, Mongolia was only a transit country for drugs, but today it is a destination. As of April 2021, the police are investigating 11 drug gangs with more than 70 suspects and collaborators.
In addition, a group of people sending drugs to Mongolia has been identified and is being brought to Mongolia as part of mutual legal assistance with other countries.
It is said that the problem of drugs is never a national issue. According to the police, the illicit supply of drugs comes through three routes: China, Russia and Northeast and South Asia. Russia, Mongolia’s northern neighbor, is believed to have more than 6 million users, while China has more than 50 million users, according to an unofficial report in 2019.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 230 million people between the ages of 15 and 64 use drugs worldwide. It is the duty of the government to combat drug use and trafficking. In order to save the youth from falling into drug addiction and crime, and for public health protection, the government needs to implement research-based policies and make safety recommendations. The most important thing is the participation of every citizen in creating an environment without addiction.