TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — National Health Research Institutes said Monday that drug use among Taiwanese junior high school students is partially linked to family factors.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, adolescence is a peak period for illicit drug use due to factors such as insufficient educational opportunities, poor parenting, poverty, violent environments, and easy access to drugs, per CNA. 

NHRI neuropsychiatric researcher Chen Chuan-yu (陳娟瑜) analyzed data from the Ministry of Education's student drug abuse case management system from 2013 to 2016. She said that of the 1,605 junior high school students who used drugs, 81% had taken category three or four drugs, and 35% were reported again within four years.

Among the family-related factors, Chen said that 25.6% of these students were from low-income or impoverished backgrounds. Additionally, 16% had family members who also used drugs.

Chen said that 11.4% of these students had been reported as coming from challenging family environments, which is 14 times higher than the average for other junior high students. Additionally, 6.4% had been diagnosed with ADHD, and 35% had experienced school interruption.

Adolescent illicit drug prevention strategies should strengthen interdisciplinary cooperation between education and healthcare, Chen said. She also noted that teachers should take a more proactive approach to engaging students, enhancing their understanding of illicit drugs and risk assessment.

Health official Huang Jui-wen (黃瑞雯) said the ministry handles juvenile users of category one and two drugs through juvenile courts. Local youth counseling committees deal with users of category three and four drugs.

Education official Chang Hui-wen (張惠雯) added that in the statistics for student illicit drug use in 2023, marijuana ranked second at 14.29%, following ketamine, and showed a yearly increase.