[The Police File]“Once an Upper-Class Privilege” No More... Drugs Pervade Daily Life, Time to End Lenient Punishments

Drug Offenses Reach 11,058 This Year
Up 8.7% Year-on-Year
7 Out of 10 Offenders Are in Their 30s or Younger

Among the various incidents and accidents recently reported in the media, drug crimes are the most commonly seen. Watching drug crimes erupt across the country almost daily, it now feels like our nation has fallen not into a 'drug-free zone' but rather a 'drug republic.' Once considered the exclusive domain of the upper class, such as celebrities or chaebol heirs, drugs have now spread like a poisonous mushroom to ordinary citizens and even middle and high school students.

Just last weekend, a couple in their 20s who consumed jelly-form drugs at a club in Seocho-gu, Seoul, called 112 and were caught by the police. They claimed to the officers who arrived at the scene that the call was a prank, but they reportedly showed suspicious behavior indicative of drug use, such as rambling answers to police questions. The police found related evidence, including packets containing drugs in a trash can, and a rapid drug test on the couple came back positive.

In July last year, 102 people involved in buying and selling prescription appetite suppressants, known as 'Nabi-yak,' were arrested by the police. They were accused of obtaining appetite suppressants containing phentermine, called 'Nabi-yak,' through hospital prescriptions and trading them via social networking services (SNS). Phentermine is used as an obesity treatment drug that suppresses appetite by regulating neurotransmitters. However, since it acts directly on the central nervous system and can cause serious side effects if abused or misused, it is classified as a psychotropic drug. Notably, more than half of those caught were teenagers, and some teenagers were caught selling the drugs.

According to the 'Monthly Drug Trend' report by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, the number of drug offenders (including marijuana, narcotics, and psychotropic substances) in the first half of this year (January to June) was 11,058, an 8.7% increase from the same period last year (10,172). By age group, those in their 20s were the largest at 3,545 (32.1%), followed by those in their 30s at 3,066 (27.7%), 40s at 1,766 (16.0%), 50s at 1,227 (11.1%), and teenagers at 362 (3.4%). More than half of the total were young adults in their 20s and 30s, and including teenagers, the figure exceeds 60%.

The rapid increase in drug offenders each year and the lowering of the age group are believed to be influenced by the internet, SNS, and virtual currencies. However, the most critical issue is the lenient punishment. While China imposes severe penalties on drug offenders, the sentencing for drug-related crimes in our country is light. Especially for simple drug users, courts mostly show leniency by giving suspended sentences for first-time offenders. In fact, among the 6,030 drug offenders prosecuted last year, nearly half?2,621 (43.5%)?were sentenced to fines or suspended sentences.

It is natural that voices from all sectors of society call for tougher punishments for drug crimes. Since July this year, the 'Revised Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Crimes' have been strengthened, imposing heavier penalties for crimes such as selling or providing drugs to minors, large-scale offenses, and marijuana-related crimes, but there is still a long way to go. To shed the stigma of being a drug republic, it is necessary to strengthen the basic sentencing for drug crimes. Cases where leniency is granted due to first-time offenses or simple transportation should not be repeated. Before the entire nation becomes intoxicated by drugs, strong national-level policies are urgently needed.