New government data revealing a rise in online fentanyl purchases by South Korean teenagers has ignited a debate over how to tackle the country’s growing problem and prevent misuse of the highly addictive pain medication.

Data obtained by Korea Pro from Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yoon’s office shows that authorities detected over 200 cases of illegal online fentanyl sales from January to June, an increase from the 62 cases detected throughout 2023.

The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) reported a rise in fentanyl patch prescriptions among teenagers in the data. In 2022, healthcare providers issued 2,014