Andy (not his real name) would phone his dealer for a 3g bag of cannabis, a psychoactive narcotic derived from the cannabis plant, after studying for his university exams.
To commemorate the conclusion of his tests, he would transfer $50 to a bank account, retrieve his supply from a hiding place, and smoke cannabis-laced cigarettes.
“It was like ordering pizza for delivery,” claimed the former cannabis user who now works in the design field. Around the age of 20, he began using the narcotic, commonly known as weed, ganja, and marijuana.
Despite the early movement restrictions, the Covid-19 pandemic made such transactions more convenient, according to Andy, who is now 26 years old.
All he had to do was select a provider from the several options available on private chat groups in messaging apps like Telegram. Andy was assured that his supply would be delivered near his residence, sometimes hidden behind water pipes and riser cabinets in public housing estates, despite the higher cost.
During the pandemic, it became simpler to get marijuana online. When we got together, there was generally someone in my group of pals who had a pot to give if I ran out,” he added.
In its Global Drug Report 2022, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that the previous falling trend of worldwide cannabis seizures was reversed in 2020 due to the pandemic.
It noted that the increase in global seizures in 2020 was “consistent with claims that cannabis use rose in numerous countries during the coronavirus pandemic.”
The UNODC provided many explanations for this trend, including an increase in the use of contactless medication delivery systems.
Singapore likewise saw an upsurge in cannabis seizures. At the release of its annual drug report on February 15, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) reported that cannabis seizures in 2022 reached 133.25 kilogrammes, up from 107.08 kilogrammes the previous year.
In 2022, over 20,4 kg of cannabis was discovered in two locations in Braddell Hill, representing one of the largest hauls of the narcotic in Singapore in recent years. A father and son were among those who were arrested.
Recent arrests of cannabis consumers have disproportionately targeted young individuals.
In reality, CNB reported that the number of cannabis users under the age of 20 who were arrested tripled from eight in 2021 to 26 in 2022.
In addition, 70% of the new abusers arrested in 2022 were under 30 years old.
In two separate incidents in October 2022, five 14- to 16-year-olds were detained on suspicion of trafficking around 226 grammes of cannabis valued close to $7,000.
Mr Tan Han Lay, who counsels drug addicts for Loving Hand Fellowship, stated that cannabis usage among young people is on the rise.
“I assist first- and second-time drug users who have been caught. Mr Tan noted that in addition to getting money from their parents, some of these youths also had part-time employment.
The 52-year-old leader of the faith-based organisation stated, “Some of them (youth users) believe that consuming marijuana is as innocuous as smoking cigarettes.”
In its World Drug Report for 2021, the UNODC made a similar discovery, stating that the perception of lower drug-use dangers has been connected to increased drug use rates.
Andrew Da Roza, a psychotherapist at Promises Healthcare who specialises in addictions, stated that cannabis users are getting younger, better educated, and more socially and economically successful.
The clinical director of We Care Community Services, Ms Tham Yuen Han, stated that the addiction recovery centre had assisted diploma holders, graduates, and even post-graduates who were addicted to the drug.
“The development of social media and the legalisation of cannabis in a neighbouring nation has made narcotics more accessible to these youths,” she explained.
In June 2022, Thailand became the first Asian nation to legalise cannabis cultivation and consumption in food and beverages.
some young individuals, according to Ms Tham, have a false sense of security that they would not be detected.
People could obtain drugs without leaving the boundaries of their residences. “All they need to do is go online, place an order, and the medications will be sent to their mailbox,” she explained.
In 2022, We Care Community Services treated 244 individuals for drug addiction, 61 of them were under 30 years old.
Its counsellors assisted 157 drug users in 2021. 20 to 25% of these individuals were under the age of 29, according to the organization’s spokesman.
Mr Da Roza’s youthful clients reported using cannabis to unwind. He highlighted that adolescence and young adulthood are stressful periods and that the maturation of the brain makes adolescents and young adults susceptible to acute anxiety, depression, and peer, academic, and social pressure.
“They find cannabis to be an immediate, albeit temporary, remedy,” he explained.
“Unfortunately, these typical developmental changes render individuals susceptible to inquisitiveness, experimentation, thrill-seeking, and risk-taking. Moreover, it can lead to oppositional disobedience of authority and social and family standards.”
Their recklessness extends to how they obtain narcotics.
Mr Tan remarked, “I was startled to learn that some detainees obtained cannabis through online games, where they met dealers in chat rooms. They informed me that they could finance the habit because of their part-time employment.”
In 2020, Andy’s supplier was caught, and CNB knocked on his door. Following a urine test that revealed cannabis residues, he was sent to the Drug Rehabilitation Center for a year-long recovery programme.
Even though he has kicked the habit, Andy continues to feel that cannabis use is safer than heroin abuse.
“We (young cannabis abusers) read the same Internet-accessible studies as everyone else.
“Although some research indicates that cannabis can cause long-term addiction, others demonstrate its medical benefits. Our generation has unlimited access to drug information, and it would be difficult to convince us otherwise,” he remarked.
Mr Tan, who was apprehended for cannabis trafficking at the age of 18, asserts that young cannabis abusers underestimate the dangers of the drug.
Mr Tan, who spent nearly 30 years in prison on drug-related offences, said, “I’ve seen several (cannabis abusers) in the past year or two.”
“However, early detection is usually preferable, as there are counselling services, rehabilitation programmes, and urine testing.” Just don’t take the same pharmacological route I did.”
