{"id":2200993,"date":"2023-05-12T18:48:10","date_gmt":"2023-05-12T09:48:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2200993"},"modified":"2023-11-20T18:01:28","modified_gmt":"2023-11-20T09:01:28","slug":"why-more-young-south-koreans-are-grappling-with-drug-abuse-and-addiction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/05\/why-more-young-south-koreans-are-grappling-with-drug-abuse-and-addiction\/","title":{"rendered":"Why more young South Koreans are grappling with drug abuse and addiction"},"content":{"rendered":"
South Korea is <\/span>tightening<\/span><\/a> its sentencing guidelines for drug offenses against children after a series of reported incidents involving drinks laced with methamphetamine being given to students last month.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Drug dealers may now face the death penalty for particularly egregious offenses under the new changes.<\/span><\/p>\n But experts tell <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i> that the ROK\u2019s anti-drug policy, which mostly focuses on law enforcement, is insufficient and ignores rehabilitation initiatives or educational reforms.<\/span><\/p>\n Demand for narcotics has never been higher In South Korea. Drug-related activities, from trafficking to consumption, have surged over the past decade, increasingly exposing young people to drugs. Import data <\/span>reveals<\/span><\/a> a stark 757% increase in narcotics brought into the country from 2020 to 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTeenagers and young adults are more susceptible to drug addictions than grown adults,\u201d said Park Seong-su, a professor at Semyung University.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYoung adults in their 20s account for about two-thirds of the total cases, and the cases involving teenagers have been steadily increasing over the past five years,\u201d Park said. \u201cThere is something profoundly wrong with this situation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The <\/span>total number<\/span><\/a> of drug abuse offenders in the first two months of this year reached 2,600, marking a 32.8% year-on-year increase in drug offenses, with a significant proportion attributed to young adults.<\/span><\/p>\n This apparently included the three young adults that were handing out meth-laced bottled drinks to school-aged children and triggered the new sentencing guidelines for drug violations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The suspects apparently marketed the beverage as a brain-enhancing tonic called \u201cMega ADHD\u201d in a <\/span>neighborhood of Seoul<\/span><\/a> infamous for its cram schools and academic competition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The situation came to light when the suspects <\/span>demanded<\/span><\/a> money from the victims under the threat of reporting them to the police for drug use.<\/span><\/p>\n This incident underscores the issues in South Korea\u2019s narcotics monitoring system and the risks posed to teenagers in South Korea, as well as the new challenges that technology presents to law enforcement as they try to reverse the growing demand for illegal substances in the country.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n THE KIDS AREN\u2019T ALL RIGHT<\/b><\/p>\n South Korea\u2019s younger generation, grappling with formidable levels of stress from an early age, faces high chances of suffering from depression and anxiety, which may lead to drug abuse, a study <\/span>revealed<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n In South Korea’s high-pressure society, <\/span>academic achievement<\/span><\/a> is often seen as non-negotiable. This relentless academic pressure can lead to intense stress and anxiety among young people and, in some cases, even precipitate depressive disorders.<\/span><\/p>\n And it\u2019s easier than ever to secure temporary relief from these stressors. South Korea has one of the <\/span>highest smartphone use rates<\/span><\/a> in the world, putting <\/span>encrypted messaging<\/span><\/a> and payment apps just a few taps away for any teen with internet access.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Park from Semyung University said that the current surge in drug abuse is a reaction to the rising levels of depression and anxiety prevalent in South Korean society. He stressed that in certain cases, the absence of sufficient parental supervision could inadvertently foster a casual attitude towards drug use.<\/span><\/p>\n A <\/span>recent survey<\/span><\/a> from the Ministry of Education revealed that approximately three in every 10 South Korean students reported experiencing depression and anxiety. This represents a substantial increase from the previous year\u2019s figures.<\/span><\/p>\n However, the strains on South Korea\u2019s youth are not confined to the academic arena. The country\u2019s economic slowdown has <\/span>dampened job growth<\/span><\/a>, further exacerbating the financial challenges young people face.<\/span><\/p>\n The COVID-19 pandemic has also added another layer of stress. Although the Yoon administration recently <\/span>lifted<\/span><\/a> almost all COVID-19 restrictions, the measures previously implemented to curb the virus\u2019s spread, such as quarantine mandates and remote learning or work, have resulted in a pervasive sense of social isolation.<\/span><\/p>\n A <\/span>report<\/span><\/a> by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, a think tank focusing on health and welfare policies, found that feelings of loneliness and isolation have intensified among the country\u2019s youth.<\/span><\/p>\n These factors collectively contribute to a disconcerting statistic: suicide is now the <\/span>leading cause of death<\/span><\/a> among South Koreans aged 10 to 30. Moreover, the ROK bears the dubious distinction of having <\/span>the highest suicide rate<\/span><\/a> among the 38 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).<\/span><\/p>\n