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The Istana
Speeches

"All-hands-on-deck approach necessary against drugs": Speech By President Tharman Shanmugaratnam At The Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association Gala Dinner 28 June 2024, The Fullerton Hotel

28 June 2024

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SANA President Gillian,

Members of the SANA Board of Management,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening.

 

  1.  I am happy to join you this evening at the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA)’s inaugural “Rise Up” charity dinner.  

  2. SANA has been a key partner in the Singapore ecosystem that combats drug abuse and helps ex-abusers to reintegrate into society and avoid relapse. It is an ecosystem that is getting broader - involving MHA and the Singapore Prison Service, Yellow Ribbon Singapore, a network of community organisations, volunteers and, importantly, employers.

  3.  We have made progress.

    1.  CNB now arrests around 3,000 drug abusers per year, a 50% decrease since the 1990s. And this despite the explosion in supply of drugs in the region, and the liberalisation of attitudes towards drug consumption that we see in most other parts of the world. The fact that the number of drug abusers in Singapore has not increased over the period as it has elsewhere, and that we have instead seen a significant reduction, is an achievement.

  4.  There are also many inspiring stories of ex-drug abusers who have turned their lives around. For many of them, SANA has been part of their story. 

    1. SANA’s support group provides a safe space for recovering drug abusers to share their challenges and learn from others who have been able to overcome them.

    2. Some also attend “SANAbration” – recreational activities held for SANA clients and their families - which reinforce our broader effort to support reintegration in a life of contributing to the family.

    3. And some join SANA’s Peer Leader Programme, so they can befriend and mentor others and inspire them to keep up their fight. Or SANA’s Youth Empowerment Programme, a new initiative to encourage youths to stay on the right path.We need all hands on deck

  5.  We are making good progress, but the challenge of combatting drug use remains serious. More can and must be done, to combat drug abuse, help abusers overcome their addiction, and reduce the harm to families and children.

    1. The five-year recidivism rate for ex-drug abusers is still too high. It had hovered at or above 40% for some years, and by 2023 has fallen to 37% (i.e. for those released from Prison in 2018). But that’s still almost two out of every five ex-drug abusers.

    2. We also know that children whose parents had committed drug offences are five times more likely to have contact with the criminal justice system at some point, compared to other children.

    3. Another worrying fact is that among the drug abusers arrested in 2023 were five 14-year-olds. And we are seeing an increase in the use of illegal substances among women.

  6.  So the theme of today’s event, “Rise Up”, is timely. Addressing drug abuse requires an all-hands-on-deck approach:

    1.  from parents and teachers helping youth to be alert to peer pressures, and know that what might look like a fun experiment with drugs creates great harm; to

    2.  our law enforcement team keeping our streets free from drugs; to

    3.  family members, community volunteers, counselors and employers going out of their way to support ex-abusers in their recovery.

  7.  So I am glad that SANA itself is rising to the challenge, and redoubling your efforts to help recovering drug abusers and their families to bounce back.

  8. Your research on female offenders has highlighted the special help they need in rehabilitation, which your female support group and our community volunteers will have to pay attention to. 

  9.  SANA will also be building up its community partnerships:

    1. To educate youths on the harms of drugs through talks and the Youth Empowerment Programme.

    2. Together with SANA’s inaugural brand ambassador – Mr Simon Khung, an ex-drug abuser himself, I understand you will also be working with the media to de-stigmatise ex-abusers.

    3. SANA will also continue to work with grassroot volunteers under the Yellow Ribbon Community Project (YRCP), and will seek to support families over a longer period.

Conclusion

  1.  To conclude, let me extend my appreciation to SANA and all its partners and donors for your contributions to this important cause.

  2.  This is not a CNB issue, or a SANA issue. It touches the whole community, and must involve the whole community. We have to work together to address the scourge of drugs,  ensure we keep the global tide of drug addiction out of Singapore, and give every individual and family the best chance of a safe, healthy and fulfilling life.

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