ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA — The Deputy for Prevention at Indonesia’s National Narcotics Agency (BNN), Inspector General Muhammad Zainul Muttaqin, has revealed that the threat of narcotics has become a serious global problem, not only in Indonesia but across the world.
According to him, drug abuse causes approximately 585,000 deaths annually worldwide, or about 52 deaths every hour.
“The global death toll from drugs even exceeds those caused by armed conflicts and terrorism,” he said.
Zainul made the remarks during an Open Discussion on the Dangers of Drugs themed “A Healthy and Resilient Generation Without Drugs: Time to Act Together”, held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at the KAHMI Center, South Jakarta.
He further explained that 52.97% of Indonesia’s prison population are inmates convicted of narcotics-related crimes. The annual death toll from drugs in Indonesia alone has reached 18,000 people, or about 50 deaths every day, with the majority being young people aged 14 to 25 years.
Zainul added that 1,386 new types of narcotics have been identified globally, 99 of which are circulating in Indonesia, with 94 already regulated under the Ministry of Health’s decree. He also revealed that vape liquids have recently been found to contain etomidate, an anesthetic compound classified as a Class 1 narcotic in Taiwan.
He described typical signs of drug exposure using the term “7 Ong Plus”—a local acronym referring to seven behavioral traits: lying, stealing, threatening, arrogance, tooth loss, confusion, and restlessness.
To strengthen prevention, BNN has launched the IKAN program (Integrated Anti-Narcotics Curriculum) to incorporate anti-drug education into the national school system from an early age.
Legal Expert: Drug Policy Still Ineffective
Professor Suparji Ahmad, a legal analyst from Al Azhar University Indonesia, criticized the nation’s anti-drug efforts as ineffective.
“This is an irony. We need to identify the root causes, including normative errors in the application of legal sanctions,” he said.
According to Suparji, users and addicts should undergo rehabilitation, while dealers and traffickers must face imprisonment and strict disruption of their networks. He called for a legal paradigm shift to ensure fair rehabilitation and stronger law enforcement against major dealers.
Experts Warn of a “Demographic Disaster”
Andi Subiakto, Advisor to the National Police Chief, warned that failure to address drug trafficking could jeopardize Indonesia’s vision of a “Golden Generation 2045.”
“Our demographic bonus could turn into a demographic disaster,” he said.
He noted that some narcotics prisons have become centers of drug production and distribution. Indonesia, he added, is now a prime target for the global drug trafficking “Golden Triangle” network.
Subiakto urged BNN to take more aggressive measures, including drug testing for university freshmen and civil servants, and expanding cooperation with HMI and KAHMI, organizations with vast social networks.
He also highlighted the rise of online drug sales, often linked to illegal gambling and online prostitution, worsening the nation’s social fabric.
“The drug menace is no longer just a criminal issue — it’s a geopolitical and geodemographic threat,” he stressed.
He concluded that soft approaches are no longer effective.
“Now is the time for a hard approach — firm and decisive action,” he declared.
Top Five Provinces with the Highest Drug Prevalence
According to the Indonesia Drug Report 2025, there are 141,016 narcotics inmates and detainees across the country — including 76,712 traffickers, dealers, and producers, and 64,304 users.
The highest number of narcotics cases in 2024 was recorded in North Sumatra (19,378), followed by East Java (13,917), West Java (10,989), Riau (8,767), and Jakarta (8,533).
East Kalimantan ranked sixth with 7,979 cases, followed by South Sumatra (7,593), South Sulawesi (6,823), South Kalimantan (6,766), and Central Java (6,106).
The Open Discussion organized by MN KAHMI was conducted in a hybrid format and attended by KAHMI Secretary General Syamsul Qomar, Treasurer Sabaruddin, and other national board members. (AT Network)
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