Drug trafficking and use among young people has been rising in recent years, in particular with new drugs such as ketamine and ice, the Government Information Bureau acknowledged in a statement released yesterday - a day before International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking.

According to a report by the Judiciary Police, heroin, ice, ketamine, cannabis, cocaine, nimetazepam, midazolam and ephedrine are the drugs most frequently seized.

Of the 626 registered drug users in the system, 221 - about one third (35.3 percent) - are aged under 21 years, with an average age of 17.4 years. On the other hand, the average age for the first experience of drug use is 14.8 years, points out the report.

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