THE ABUSE OF AMPHETAMINE IN MALAYSIA EXPECTED TO RISE

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 (Bernama) -- The abuse of amphetamine type stimulants (ATS) in Malaysia is expected to rise, according to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

President of the Addiction Medicine Association of Malaysia (AMAM) Dr
Steven Chow said the UNODC's 2008 Global Assessment of amphetamines, methamphetamines and Ecstasy suggested that the increase in use may continue as indicated by the combination of trafficking to and from Malaysia and the size of clandestine laboratories.


"A large portion of ATS found in Malaysia originates from Cambodia and is
trafficked through Thailand for domestic consumption and re-export," he said in
a statement to Bernama Thursday.

Dr Chow said that to implement effective prevention and enforcement,
Malaysia needed to enhance its 'intelligence' on ATS and collaborate with
neighbouring countries to gather, analyse and share information on ATS
products, their use and on trafficking routes.

He said the production of synthetic drugs was a big business controlled by
adaptive and elusive organised international crime syndicates, which were
involved in all phases of the illicit trade.


Currently, the estimated annual prevalence of amphetamines-group use in
Malaysia is at 0.6 per cent, lower than the regional average estimate of 0.9
per cent.

In 2004 and 2006, large industrial-scale operations were dismantled, with
the operation involving the ATS laboratory in Kulim in 2006 recorded as
one of the largest seizures in the world.

In 2008, another methamphetamine laboratory was discovered by the
authorities in Senai, Johor, and the arrests included nationals from North
America and Asia.

-- BERNAMA