Kuala lumpur: The number of women detected to be involved in drug abuse in the country increased from 8,638 in 2024 to 8,926 last year. National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh revealed that youths between the ages of 19 and 39 recorded the highest number of cases, involving 6,193 individuals. This was followed by adults aged 40 to 59 with 2,567 cases and teenagers with 166 cases.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, amphetamine-type stimulants were the most widely abused substances among women, involving 7,588 individuals. This was followed by opiates (762), cannabis (138), psychotropic pills (119), and other substances including ketum and cocaine (319). Datuk Ruslin Jusoh explained that a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) found that women face more complex challenges than men in accessing treatment.

Despite women accounting for only 4.7 percent of drug abuse cases compared to men at 95.3 percent last year, they often encounter greater social, financial, and emotional challenges in seeking treatment. Society tends to view addiction among women as a more significant moral failure compared to men. Women often have more limited financial resources or depend economically on their partners, making the cost of treatment, such as transportation to AADK facilities, a heavy burden.

UNODC reported that women may struggle to seek treatment if their partners are also drug users who control their movements or prevent them from seeking change. Datuk Ruslin Jusoh added that following amendments to the Drug Dependants and Substance Abusers (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983, which came into force on August 22, 2025, women can now voluntarily seek community-based treatment under the supervision of rehabilitation officers or at Narcotics Addiction Rehabilitation Centres (PUSPEN) free of charge.

AADK also provides Mobile Treatment and Rehabilitation Without Borders (MRT) services to rural areas, helping to overcome logistical barriers often faced by women.