Seoul city to bolster efforts to stop, treat drug abuse

An instructor from the Chungnam Pharmaceutical Association educates students at Neulbom Elementary School in Sejong against drugs on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

The Seoul city government Thursday rolled out plans to crack down on, treat and prevent substance abuse in society, a week after a drug ring was busted selling drinks laced with ecstasy and methamphetamine to children.

City officials said the city-run Eunpyeong Hospital in northern Seoul will increase its workforce in charge of testing and treating drug patients. A rehab center for addicts will be established within the hospital in the future as well.

The Seoul Mental Health Welfare Center, which currently focuses on treating alcoholics, will shift to working on drug addiction.

April will be designated a so-called Drug Intensive Education Month, and officials from local public health centers will visit schools in the capital to educate children against drug use.

Parent volunteers will be asked to stand guard around schools to look out for anyone selling suspicious drinks to students.

Officials will be checking Google, Facebook and Instagram more frequently to track online drug sales.

Drug prevention activities will be taken up a notch for people in their 20s through public campaigns, given that more than half of all drug criminals in Korea are under the age of 30, the city government said.

According to city data, there were an average of 4,200 drug offenders in the capital over the past three years. Last year alone, 4,640 drug offenders were apprehended.

BY LEE SUNG-EUN [lee.sungeun@joongang.co.kr]