Pubdate: Thu, 22 Sep 2005
Source: Star, The (Malaysia)
Copyright: 2005 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd.
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com.my
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/922

GLUE-SNIFFING TO BE MADE ILLEGAL

GLUE-sniffing will be an offence under a new law being drafted to 
curb the abuse of intoxicating substances.

"Right now, there is no law that can be used to charge someone who 
sniffs glue because it is not considered a type of drug," said 
Internal Security Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Abu Seman Yusop.

However, he said many factors had to be considered because the 
Government could not ban the use of glue, which was important in 
certain sectors such as handicraft-making and automotive.

Replying to Datuk Dr Rahman Ismail (BN -- Gombak), Abu Seman said 
that 7,000 glue addicts were detected over the past five years.

The Government, he said, was now taking preventive measures such as 
organising anti-drug campaigns in schools to educate youngsters about 
the dangers of substance abuse.

Datuk Mohd Said Yusof (BN -- Jasin) said some schoolchildren could 
not sit for the UPSR examination because they were high on glue.

He said he had also received complaints from teachers that many 
students did badly in school as their heads went "blank" due to 
substance abuse.

Later in a press conference, Abu Seman said statistics showed that 
the glue addicts were mostly aged between 16 and 29, but the more 
serious cases came from those aged between 20 and 24.
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman