IAS records 10.8% decline in registered drug abusers last year

Macau saw a 10.8% decrease in registered drug abuse cases to 132 last year, with most users taking drugs in homes and hotels, while the methadone scheme maintained a 90% attendance rate and no HIV cases linked to drug use have been reported in nine years.

At a recent closed-door meeting of the Central District Community Services Consultative Council, Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) officials presented data from the Central Registration System for Drug Abusers showing that Macau registered 132 drug abusers in 2025, a year-on-year decline of 10.8%.

Most cases involved drug consumption in private homes and hotels, with only two cases involving individuals under 21. Life stress was identified as the main contributing factor.

Regarding treatment outcomes, the methadone maintenance program has sustained attendance rates exceeding 90%, while no HIV cases related to drug abuse have been reported for nine consecutive years. Compared with Europe, the Americas and other Asian jurisdictions, Macau’s drug abuse prevalence remains relatively low.

Briefing the media after a closed-door meeting, two community council members revealed that the government’s year-round anti-drug education efforts have reached all age groups, with 80% of schools now offering drug prevention curricula and more than 520,000 student attendances recorded.

Health education activities have also been extended into residential areas since 2023, using cultural, sporting and competitive events to promote awareness. More than 180 summer events are expected to draw 480,000 participants, alongside 14 training sessions for frontline staff to better identify and support hidden drug users.

Meanwhile, two other council members highlighted emerging threats to Macau’s drug prevention efforts, including the growing use of social media and gaming platforms by young people to access drugs, the infiltration of new substances via mail and parallel trading, and the increasingly sophisticated tactics employed by dealers.

They urged the Judiciary Police (PJ) and relevant authorities to lead the creation of a sector-wide reporting mechanism for hotels, apartment blocks and residential properties, supported by clear guidelines and a dedicated hotline, to address enforcement gaps in private spaces.

They also proposed the deployment of an intelligent screening system for parcels and express deliveries to detect suspicious e-cigarette oils and psychotropic substances, thereby disrupting new drug supply routes.