Kim Harim @ Takahashi Karen, Anglo-Chinese Junior College

He asserted, “If you still come in with kilos of [certain prohibited drugs], which will destroy hundreds, thousands of families, one death is too kind.” Similarly, throughout his years in office, Mr Lee was questioned incessantly on his unwavering stance to execute drug traffickers. Yet, his steadfast, radical and unorthodox stance has aged well; he was a visionary who discerned that allowing drug abusers their self-indulgent state of being ‘high’ would equate to their loved ones’ lives hitting new lows.

I vividly remember proudly donning the Anti-Drug ribbon and vowing to #saynotodrugs since the ripe age of seven. This memory was later buttressed by my discoveries of the insidious psychological effects of drug consumption through various media sources. Specifically, with the decriminalisation of drug use in Oregon in 2020, I pored over videos panning over the dystopian downtown area littered with slumped bodies and listless wandering faces — a lasting impression of the widespread, real-world impacts of drugs on a city. The spill-over effects on third parties, however, often remain understated.

“I didn’t know at that time, was it my brother speaking, or the drug speaking.” Gina's account of dissonance at encountering a family member addled by drugs will forever be etched in my mind. Her story represents countless other nameless family members hurting because they struggle to reconcile their adoration and respect for family displaying abusive behaviour under the influence. Imagine being threatened by your own biological brother for money for drugs under the threat that he would reclaim his own daughter, your niece, from your care whilst horrifyingly insinuating that he would do awful things to her if the money was not forthcoming. This is Gina’s very account of her being between a rock and a hard place. Filial piety is deeply rooted in our Asian heritage — caring for family because the same blood flows through our veins. Yet, when drugs alter one’s brain chemistry and heighten one’s dependence on drugs for certain chemicals, even loved ones may become irrational and oftentimes unrecognisable. As such, the continuous defensive stance family members have to take against others and themselves when picking up after their loved but unrecognisable drug-abusing family members is taxing — both on their mental and physical well-being.

Furthermore, we are all complicit in shouldering the cost of drug abuse. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse in the United States of America, an estimated 65 percent of the United States prison population has an active Substance Use Disorder (SUD). While these are not local statistics, they are an eerie premonition of how drug usage correlates with crime rates. As taxpayers, because of drug abuse, we would be forking out up to 65 percent more to incarcerate criminals if not for our strict drug laws. Consequently, the sentiment of drug abusers being financial burdens to the general population may arise, brewing resentment and a lack of empathy towards them and a rift in our already diverse society.

Regrettably, the number of arrested drug abusers in Singapore aged below 20 years old increased by 8 percent in 2023 from 2022, according to CNB. This increase could be attributed to the glamorisation of drug consumption by the entertainment industry. As a young adult myself, I am uncomfortably aware of posts on social media and television shows skewing drug abuse to be ‘cool’. Romanticising the abuse of drugs is not uncommon, with productions like HBO’s Euphoria (2019) and The Idol (2023) depicting idolised A-list actors consuming high doses of drugs. Culture is of paramount importance. Yet, impressionable youths must be redirected to the cold hard reality of drugs with increased and accurate public education.

At this juncture, allow me to dissect Singapore’s strategies aimed at preventing drug use. Though it seems obvious, the stalwart resolve to not legalise drug use is of paramount importance. If left to weaker leadership willing to accede to global trends, Singapore could earn millions, if not billions, in revenue merely by legalising drugs. From tourism receipts being bound to exponentially increase alongside the gains from heavy taxation, legalising drug use could very much be a rational economic decision for our Little Red Dot. However, this idea is unfathomable to the average Singaporean as we continue to stand behind the decision to impose capital punishment for the trafficking of drugs in tandem with our public education highlighting the adverse effects of drugs.

Singaporeans, however, must keep in mind that while we may neither condone nor support drug abuse, we must support drug victims as a friend, neighbour and fellow citizen.