Singapore landmarks glow green and white in support of DrugFreeSG campaign

Straits Times

27-06-2025

Fullerton Hotel, Cavenagh Bridge, Anderson Bridge, Esplanade, and Millenia Tower being lit up in green and white on June 26. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Singapore landmarks glow green and white in support of DrugFreeSG campaign
SINGAPORE – Iconic landmarks across Singapore, including Parliament House and Marina Bay Sands, were bathed in green and white lights on the evening of June 26, 2025, as part of the annual DrugFreeSG Light-Up.
Organised by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), the initiative marked International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
From 7.30pm to midnight, 48 buildings and public spaces across the island glowed in the signature colours of the Anti-Drug Ribbon – green symbolising health, and white representing strength and vitality.
First adopted in 1996, the ribbon was launched during the National Anti-Drug Abuse Campaign held under the direction of the National Council Against Drug Abuse.
This year's light-up had new partners, such as the National Gallery Singapore and The Fullerton Heritage precinct, which joined other landmarks in lending their facades to the cause.
Now in its eighth year, the initiative aims to raise awareness of the dangers of drug abuse and galvanise public support for a drug-free Singapore.
Parliament House, Marina Bay Sands, and Fullerton Hotel lit up in green and white on June 26.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
While the overall number of drug abusers arrested has fallen by nearly eight per cent – from 3,439 in 2018, when the DrugFreeSG initiative was launched, to 3,175 in 2024 – recent figures by CNB show a troubling upward trend.
Between 2021 and 2024, arrests increased by 16 per cent, rising from 2,729 to 3,175.
Of particular concern is the growing number of younger abusers: the number of new drug abusers below 20 years old arrested in 2024 went up by 38 per cent from 2023, underscoring the continued challenge of protecting youth and communities from the dangers of drug abuse.
The light-up is part of a broader national effort to engage communities, especially youth, in preventive drug education.
National Gallery lit up in white on June 26.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
In May, the Drug Victims Remembrance Day was held by the Inter-Ministry Committee on Drug Prevention for Youth to highlight the impact of drugs on abusers and loved ones.
DrugFreeSG advocate Kim Why Kee, 49, a former drug abuser, hopes to remind youth struggling with addiction that they are not alone.
Mr Kim, who has been drug free since 2008, and has turned his life around to become a successful ceramicist, first experimented with drugs at the age of 16, a decision that cost him years of lost time with his family. To fuel his addiction, he even resorted to pawning his mother's gold jewellery and selling gifts from his sister.
Fortunately, despite the pain he caused, his family never gave up on him. 'If you feel trapped in addiction, the first and bravest step is to reach out for help – and often, the best place to start is with your family. They love you more than anyone and will stand by you, even when things feel hopeless,' he said.
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