KOTA BHARU, Sept 16 — The number of women detected to be involved in drug abuse in the country increased from 8,638 in 2024 to 8,926 last year.
National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said youths aged between 19 and 39 recorded the highest number of cases, involving 6,193 individuals, followed by adults aged 40 to 59 (2,567) and teenagers (166).
“Amphetamine-type stimulants were the most widely abused substances among women, involving 7,588 individuals, followed by opiates (762), cannabis (138), psychotropic pills (119) and other substances, including ketum and cocaine (319),” he told Bernama recently.
Elaborating, Ruslin said a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) found that women face more complex challenges than men in accessing treatment.
“Although statistics showed that women accounted for a lower percentage of cases at 4.7 per cent compared with men at 95.3 per cent last year, they often face greater social, financial and emotional challenges in seeking treatment.
“Society tends to view addiction among women as a greater moral failure compared with men,” he said.
Ruslin said women also often have more limited financial resources or depend economically on their partners.
“The cost of treatment, such as transportation to AADK facilities, can be a heavy burden. UNODC reported that women may struggle to seek treatment if their partners are also drug users who control their movements or prevent them from seeking change,” he said.
He added that following amendments to the Drug Dependants and Substance Abusers (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983, which came into force on Aug 22, 2025, women can now voluntarily seek community-based treatment under the supervision of rehabilitation officers or at Narcotics Addiction Rehabilitation Centres (PUSPEN) free of charge.
“We also provide AADK’s Mobile Treatment and Rehabilitation Without Borders (MRT) services to rural areas, helping to overcome logistical barriers often faced by women,” he said.
