Alarming Link: Poverty and Drug Use Crisis Unfolds in Taiwan's Junior High Schools

Groundbreaking Research Reveals Connection Between Socioeconomic Status and Youth Drug Abuse

Taipei, Taiwan - A stark reality has emerged from new research conducted by the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI), revealing a concerning correlation between economic disadvantage and illegal drug use among Taiwanese junior high school students aged 12 to 14.

The study indicates that students from economically disadvantaged families are significantly more vulnerable to drug use, with a likelihood three to eight times greater compared to their peers. Researcher Chen Chuan-yu (陳娟瑜) highlighted in a recent statement that these students are also three times more likely to have family members who also use drugs.

The NHRI study, published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, analyzed data from the Ministry of Education spanning the years 2013 to 2016. The findings paint a concerning picture of substance abuse among this vulnerable age group.

Of the 1,605 junior high school students identified as having used illegal drugs, a staggering 81 percent had used category 3 or 4 narcotics. Furthermore, 35 percent of these students were reported for drug use again within a four-year timeframe, emphasizing the persistent nature of the problem.

The research uncovered that nearly 80 percent of the students had used ketamine. Notably, 25.6 percent of these students came from low-income families, underscoring the impact of socioeconomic factors.

The NHRI team also discovered a potential path toward intervention. Students who had received "high-risk family" services were 43 percent less likely to be reported for drug use again, suggesting the effectiveness of targeted support systems.

Chen recommended that prevention strategies should prioritize enhanced collaboration among education, social welfare, and healthcare systems to address the multifaceted nature of this issue.

Huang Jui-wen (黃瑞雯), head of the Department of Protective Services at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, emphasized that the government already provides services to adult drug users and their families. She also explained that category 1 or 2 juvenile narcotics cases are handled by the Juvenile Court, while class 3 or 4 narcotics cases are referred to the juvenile advisory committee.