STATEMENT BY MR. JULIUS LIM, DELEGATE TO THE 67TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON AGENDA ITEM 104, INTERNATIONAL DRUG CONTROL, THIRD COMMITTEE, ON 10 OCTOBER 2012

Mr Chairman,

Let me first congratulate you and your Bureau on your appointments. My delegation offers you our fullest support and cooperation.

A critical world-wide concern

Drug abuse remains a critical concern for all societies. Millions of individuals across the world are dependent on drugs. Many have suffered irreparable damage to their health, lost their jobs, and brought untold sorrow to their families. While some have turned to community support agencies for help, others have resorted to crime to fund their drug habit. As we speak, someone is losing his life to drugs.

Drug abuse is, of course, not a new phenomenon. Archaeological records indicate that early civilisations had used drugs for stimulation purposes. Considering the historical and cultural views to drug abuse, some even claim that it is simply a normal feature of human society that has to be lived with. Yet, what is not often discussed is the threat that drug addiction can pose to the viability of a nation, in particular, one like Singapore.

Fight for a nation’s progress

As a small island state with little natural resources and no hinterland, Singapore is vulnerable to external geo-political and economic shocks. With a population of 5 million, the nation has had to work hard to nurture a strong work ethic in order to sustain its economy. Coupled with a high population density due to our small land area, we cannot afford to let our citizens get ensnared by drug addiction.

As a former law enforcement officer, I have seen first-hand what drugs can do to an abuser. I recall one case in particular.  I dealt – on several occasions – with a young, female drug abuser called ‘Amy’. ‘Amy’ would often appear confused, speak in a muffled manner, and alternate between delirium and calm. Through investigation, we discovered that ‘Amy’ was addicted to a drug that altered her perception, thought and emotions. To pay for her drug habit, she had turned to crime and even prostitution. ‘Amy’ is now recovering at a rehabilitation centre, and is neither able to work nor support herself.  Sadly, this is a typical state of affairs for most drug abusers, if not worse scenarios.

Drug abuse: A public health problem?

Mr Chairman,

Some say that drug abuse is but a public health problem.  The logic is that there will always be people who engage in risky behaviours and it is therefore not realistic to believe that universal abstinence can be achieved. The purported goal of such a strategy of drug control is simply to mitigate the health risk associated with drug abuse.

To this end, research claims that decriminalizing drugs can lead to a reduction in illegal drug use and suggests that increased law enforcement in some countries have only led to greater organized crime. There is thus a growing belief that traditional anti-drug efforts comprising of prohibition and enforcement have failed.  

Singapore’s Zero-tolerance policy

Yet as many of you would know, Singapore takes a tough stand on drugs. This was reaffirmed by the Taskforce on Drugs that was set up to review the drug abuse situation and completed its work in April this year. We operate a zero-tolerance policy, where we deter drug use through preventive education, strict laws and rigorous enforcement. When we detect a drug abuser, our priority is to rehabilitate the abuser so that he does not relapse. This approach has achieved positive results and our drug abuse situation today compares favourably with any other country in the world.

Singapore’s fight against drugs is not a rhetorical one. We have a robust system to deter, detect and rehabilitate drug users. We regularly conduct talks across schools to teach our youths the harmful effects of drugs. At the same time, our Police, Immigration and Narcotics officers undertake round-the-clock, inter-agency operations to detect drug abusers, shut down drug dens and take out those who attempt to traffic drugs into Singapore.

That is why over the past 17 years, the number of drug abusers arrested in Singapore has generally been on a decline. At the height of our drug problem in 1994, 208 drug abusers per 100,000 of our resident population were arrested each year. In 2011, this number stood at 86 per 100,000 of our resident population. We have also enjoyed low crime rates, achieving a 20-year low in 2011 at 606 per 100,000 of our resident population.

On rehabilitation, we are committed to helping abusers return to their families and workplace. Abusers who are admitted into our drug rehabilitation centres undergo specialised intervention programmes. To further assist them upon release, step-down care is also available for those eligible where they stay at a halfway house, or at a work release centre, or in their own homes under electronic monitoring. These initiatives help abusers re-integrate into society. We will be introducing enhanced supervision for abusers with a higher risk of relapse. To tap on community support, we have also initiated community initiatives such as the Community Befriending Project, where we match volunteer befrienders with abusers so as to provide positive peer support and role modeling for them.

Our citizens enjoy safe and secure neighbourhoods because we chose to tackle the root of the drug problem head on. We find that research is less clear on how the decriminalization or medicalization of drugs control can reduce drug consumption. Nonetheless, we affirm our support for the United Nation’s efforts in fighting drugs and will continue to participate in international cooperation programmes to reduce risks associated with drugs.

Drug control depends on the local context

Mr Chairman,                                

The drug problem is a complex one. Tackling it successfully depends on the lengths each society is willing to go, conceptually and morally, to tolerate drug abuse. Singapore has earned its reputation as a crime-free, clean and green nation. Our society is largely drug-free and we do not suffer neighbourhoods of drug abusers where communities condone, distribute and sell drugs freely.

Yet the challenge of controlling drugs can only grow harder. Drug suppliers continue to find creative ways to create drugs in a more efficient and effective manner. Left unregulated, these designer drugs threaten to flood the market with cheaper and more potent alternatives. Singapore will have to continue to keep abreast of the latest developments in drug control and review our practices and laws regularly.

Thank you.

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