KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — Children as young as seven are getting caught up in the web of addiction because of their drug-using parents.

They are taking drugs left lying around by their parents who are “high”, National Anti-Drug Agency deputy director-general Azizan Ariffin said. 

Azizan said users were getting younger because drugs are cheaper nowadays. 

“A decade ago, an Ecstasy pill would have cost RM100. But today, it is available for RM 10 a pill,” he said.

Azizan said the number of drug users had increased throughout the years and warned the situation could be worse because for every one user recorded, there were four unrecorded. 

Malaysian Substance Abuse Council president Datuk Mohammad Yunus Pathi said the council was a newly formed umbrella body for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) involved in drug prevention and awareness work.

There are 60 NGOs including the National Anti-Drug Agency who are council members. 

“Most of the council members are ex-addicts. Hence, we believe we know what needs to be done to solve the problem,” he said.

“Malaysian Substance Abuse Council believes no one method will help all addicts. We need to know why they are using the drugs and what they need to break their addiction.”

The plans include having spiritual-centred programmes and therapy at government and private rehabilitation centres. 

“We also have NGOs who work with certain communities like single mothers and teenage mothers who resort to drug abuse as a way out of their problems,” Yunus said.

He said the members would be properly trained and accredited before they were sent out to do outreach work.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the council’s patron, said the government recognised it was time to try different approaches to overcome the problem which had existed since 1983.

“I am worried for the future of our youths who are also our human capital. This nation needs our youths and I believe Malaysian Substance Abuse Council would play a huge role in making this a reality,” he said.

Zahid also announced a RM2 million annual grant from the government for the council to run its programmes.