Summary of Key Points
The current situation of drug crime in our country has seen new developments: traditional drugs (such as heroin) have lost their dominance, while substances like etimostat and other psychotropic drugs, as well as unregulated addictive materials like "laughing gas," have become the focus of abuse. Adolescents are the primary group affected by these new types of drugs and unregulated substances. The number of drug-related cases involving minors has first increased and then decreased, but the threat remains. These cases not only harm the health of teenagers but also lead to secondary crimes such as sexual assault and robbery. The Supreme People's Court is stepping up its efforts to crack down on drug crimes that target or exploit minors.
Detailed Analysis
1. New Drugs Take the Lead: Heroin No Longer Reigns Supreme; Unregulated Substances Are More Hidden
In the past, the main drugs associated with crime were heroin and methamphetamine. However, etimostat, a medication originally used for surgical anesthesia, has now surpassed heroin as the second most commonly abused drug. Even more concerning is the abuse of substances like "laughing gas" and "Yumei tablets," which have not yet been listed as controlled drugs, and their use has even surpassed that of traditional drugs in some provinces.
These new drugs are particularly deceptive: they can be mixed into e-cigarettes (referred to as "intoxicating e-cigarettes"), packaged as milk tea powder or chocolate, or marketed under the guise of helping with weight loss, boosting energy, or enhancing sexual performance, sometimes suggesting they can be used for rape, making it difficult for young people to recognize their dangers.
2. Adolescents Are the Most Vulnerable: A Short Step from Victims to Criminals
Why are adolescents so susceptible? Mainly due to their curiosity, desire for excitement, and tendency to follow trends and compare with others. There are three scenarios in which they get involved with drugs:
- Experimenting Out of Curiosity: They try it out once out of curiosity and then become addicted, going to great lengths to obtain the substance.
- Victims of Deception: They are lured, deceived, or even forced into using drugs by criminals, such as friends offering a "special e-cigarette" claiming it's legal.
- Used as Tools by Criminals: They are exploited by criminals to transport or sell drugs, becoming accomplices. Even more frightening is that some children, after becoming users, resort to robbery and theft to fund their drug habit, and may even drag their peers into the cycle.
3. Fluctuating Case Numbers: Efforts to Control the Problem Are Effective, but No Letup Needed
The number of drug-related cases involving minors has been volatile from 2023 to 2025: 217 cases with 256 individuals in 2023, rising to 909 cases with 1,084 individuals in 2024, and then dropping to 617 cases with 737 individuals in 2025 (a 32% decrease year-on-year). This shows that efforts are making a difference, but the problem is still severe. The number of cases in 2025 was still 1.8 times higher than in 2023, and the abuse of unregulated substances like "laughing gas" has become increasingly prominent, effectively continuing to cause harm under a different guise.
4. The Chain Reaction of Secondary Hazards: Drug Use Affects More Than Just Health
The dangers of new drugs and unregulated substances go beyond addiction:
- Risk of Sexual Assault: Criminals use these substances' sedative effects to commit rape and molestation against minors.
- Property Crimes: Children steal or rob to fund their drug habit.
- Public Safety: Users of "laughing gas" may lose control while driving, leading to accidents and fights, and the substance can also cause permanent physical damage (such as paralysis).
5. The Courts Are Taking Tough Action: Focusing on Criminals Who Target Children
The Supreme People's Court has clarified its priorities for enforcement:
- Cracking Down at the Source: Identifying and prosecuting major drug traffickers involved in smuggling and manufacturing new drugs.
- Protecting Children: Severely punishing crimes that exploit or coerce minors into drug trafficking, as well as those that target them directly.
- Confronting Secondary Crimes: Those who use psychotropic drugs to commit sexual assault will receive harsher sentences.
It is important to remind everyone that substances like "laughing gas" and "Yumei tablets," although not officially classified as drugs, are just as harmful. Just because they are not illegal does not mean they are safe to use!
This news serves as a warning to parents, schools, and young people: new drugs can be hidden in everyday items, so teenagers need to be vigilant and not be deceived by their seemingly "novel" or "harmless" appearance. It also sends a strong message to criminals: the courts will not tolerate those who target children with their drug-related activities.