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Singapore Law Watch
16-05-2025
- Health
- Singapore Law Watch
Singapore to be part of new NGO coalition to tackle drug trafficking, abuse: Shanmugam
Singapore to be part of new NGO coalition to tackle drug trafficking, abuse: Shanmugam Source: Straits Times Article Date: 16 May 2025 Author: Andrew Wong The group, called the Asia-Pacific Confederation against Drugs (APCD), will push for the creation of drug-free societies and stronger efforts to reduce the demand for drugs. Singapore will be part of a new regional coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the fight against drug trafficking and drug abuse. The group, called the Asia-Pacific Confederation against Drugs (APCD), will push for the creation of drug-free societies and stronger efforts to reduce the demand for drugs. The founding group will include members from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Hong Kong. On May 15, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam announced the formation of the coalition and said Singapore will be represented by the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association. Mr Shanmugam, who was accompanied by Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, was speaking at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Forum Against Drugs held at Furama RiverFront Hotel in Havelock Road. More than 300 coalition members, NGOs, partners, overseas correctional officers and local government officials are expected to attend the forum, which is taking place from May 15 to 17. Mr Shanmugam, who is also Law Minister, said the APCD will strengthen regional cooperation through joint programmes and speak up against the rising tide of liberal policies and misinformation on drugs. He announced this in the wake of the rising threat of potent synthetic drugs like fentanyl. He said Malaysia had detected traces of the opioid in its sewage systems in March, suggesting that locals were abusing the drug there. Said Mr Shanmugam: '(Fentanyl) is 50 times more potent than heroin, and its effects have been devastating. 'Between 2018 and 2022, or a five-year period, over 250,000 Americans died from fentanyl overdose. In 2022 alone, there were about 200 people dying in the US every single day.' Mr Shanmugam added that deaths from fentanyl overdose in the US outnumbered the number who died in all of America's wars, including World War II and the wars in Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan. He said that unlike traditional plant-based drugs like cocaine or heroin, synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine, ketamine and fentanyl can be produced anywhere, even in the backyard of someone's house. He noted that Myanmar is already one of the world's largest manufacturers of synthetic drugs and one of the biggest hosts of organised crime in the world. 'The situation in our region is also worrying... This is happening right at our doorstep. But given how interconnected the world is, what happens in Myanmar has deep implications all over the world,' Mr Shanmugam said. He added that the rapid liberalisation of cannabis controls around the world has fuelled an increase in demand. A report by the United Nations estimated that there are 228 million cannabis users globally in 2022. This is despite clear medical evidence that the use of cannabis can cause irreversible brain damage and serious psychiatric disorders, Mr Shanmugam said. Statistics by the Central Narcotics Bureau show that in 2024, more than half of new cannabis abusers arrested in Singapore were below the age of 30, which suggested a growing permissiveness among young people towards the drug. The report showed methamphetamine, heroin and cannabis were the most commonly abused drugs in Singapore that year. Mr Shanmugam said a false narrative that cannabis is a 'soft drug' has been largely driven by commercial entities, similar to how tobacco corporations marketed smoking in the 1990s. '(Tobacco corporations) ran advertisements of doctors saying smoking was good for health. They even introduced flavoured cigarettes to make them more appealing to the younger generation. Cannabis companies are likewise downplaying the risks, driven by profits. 'They are also trying to entice the young,' he said. Mr Shanmugam said he had heard how cannabis lobby groups had argued for the drug's use as a medicinal tool when he attended international forums, including a United Nations forum. He said he would support the use of cannabis for medical use only if a national medical association said it required the drug for treatment. He added: 'But I won't support it if it is some company that is profiting from the use of cannabis that wants to legalise it without any controls, and is trying to do it in the form of candy to 10-year-olds.' Mr Shanmugam stressed that Singapore will remain resolute in maintaining its tough stance against drugs, explaining that countries should be under no illusions about the difficulty in dealing with the global drug problem. He said that the Republic's death penalty is most commonly used for drug traffickers and that these criminals are focused only on making money out of the death and misery of others. He added: 'And so we make our laws very clear. We tell people, you traffic in drugs, you face the death penalty, and we impose it.' Mr Shanmugam said the global drug trade is a multibillion-dollar industry with powerful, vested interests. It exploits the vulnerable, corrupts state institutions, and undermines the will of governments to tackle this problem, undermining the fabric of societies, all for profit, he added. He said: 'Challenging as it may be, we have to press on, because we have morality and right on our side, and it is the right thing to do.' Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Print
The Star
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Apac NGOs form coalition to promote drug-free societies
Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam addressing attendees at the Asia-Pacific Forum Against Drugs at Furama RiverFront Hotel on May 15, 2025. - Photo: ST SINGAPORE: (Bernama) Six non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from across the Asia-Pacific (Apac) region have formed a coalition to advocate for a more robust drug demand reduction programme and promote drug-free societies. Known as the Asia-Pacific Confederation against Drugs (APCD), the coalition was launched on Thursday (May 15) at the biennial Asia-Pacific Forum Against Drugs (APFAD) 2025 here as it strives to share best practices, forge regional cooperation, and sound the alarm on the harms of drugs through concerted programmes and projects. The founding members are Malaysia's Green Crescent, the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (Sana), the Association of Anti-Drug Abuse Coalitions of the Philippines, Hong Kong's Society for the Aid and Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers, Indonesia's National Movement Against Narcotics (Granat), and the Assistance and Empowerment Foundation for Papuan and West Papuan Community (YP2MP). Singapore Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam, who launched the coalition, said the initiative would bolster international partnerships in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse. "APCD will also seek to have a voice at international platforms like the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (UN CND) to speak against the rising tide of liberal policies and misinformation on drugs,' he said. Addressing the worsening global drug situation, Shanmugam said that synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine have driven a global surge in drug abuse. He also claimed that the loosening of cannabis restrictions globally is driving increased demand for drugs. He cautioned against the influence of the cannabis lobby and the false narrative of cannabis as a "soft drug", driven largely by commercial entities. "We saw this happening with tobacco companies. Cannabis companies are likewise downplaying the risks, driven by profits. They are also trying to entice the young,' he said. Shanmugam said that just two months ago, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) seized a haul of cannabis-infused chocolate bars and candies during an operation. Shanmugam reiterated Singapore's firm stance against drugs. "The people have a right to a society free of drugs and the government has a responsibility to safeguard this right. "We take a harm prevention approach that combines tough laws and rigorous enforcement, robust rehabilitation programmes, and extensive public education,' he said, adding that the government enjoys the support of more than 85 per cent of the Singaporean community and civil society. Application for APCD membership is now open to APAC NGOs. "If more organisations join APCD, its effectiveness and voice can be multiplied,' he said. Organised by Sana from May 15 to 17, APFAD 2025 brings together more than 300 regional coalition members, NGOs, community partners, overseas correctional officers, and local government officials. Singapore has designated the third Friday of May each year as Drug Victims Remembrance Day to remember families, friends, and the wider community affected by drug abuse. This year, the day is observed on May 16. - Bernama
CNA
15-05-2025
- Health
- CNA
Singapore part of new regional coalition of NGOs formed to fight drug trafficking and abuse
SINGAPORE: To address the issue of drug trafficking and abuse, a new regional coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) was launched on Thursday (May 15). The group, called the Asia-Pacific Confederation against Drugs (APCD), consists of five founding members - Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Hong Kong. Singapore is represented by the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA). The new coalition aims to strengthen regional cooperation through joint programmes and projects, and the sharing of best practices, said Singapore's Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam on Thursday at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Forum Against Drugs. "APCD will also seek to have a voice at international platforms like the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, to speak up against the rising tide of liberal policies and misinformation on drugs," he added. "If more organisations join APCD, its effectiveness and voice can be multiplied." Some of these efforts will require government backing, Mr Shanmugam noted, adding that Singapore is determined to provide support. 'We look at today as a baby step,' he said of the launch of the coalition, inviting other organisations to join the group. "We can think of a larger organisation over time that brings in even more people into the fold, and even more civil society organisations into the fold, to see how we can take this fight further forward," he said. THE RISING THREAT OF DRUGS In his speech at the opening of the forum in Singapore, Mr Shanmugam said the global drug situation is worsening at an "alarming pace". The number of people using drugs globally increased by 20 per cent compared with 10 years ago to nearly 300 million in 2022, the minister noted, warning of the proliferation of synthetic drugs like methamphetamine (meth) and fentanyl. The threat of fentanyl, for instance, is "coming closer to home for all of us", Mr Shanmugam said, pointing out that Malaysian police reported in March that they had detected fentanyl in wastewater testing. "That suggests that people are abusing fentanyl in Malaysia," he said. Mr Shanmugam also warned of the rising demand for drugs with the rapid liberalisation of cannabis controls globally, saying that the idea of cannabis as a "soft drug" is largely driven by commercial entities. As of 2024, nine countries and about half the states in the US had legalised recreational cannabis use. "The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has estimated that in 2022, there were 228 million cannabis users worldwide," the minister said. "If you put these 228 million people in one place, in one country, that would be the seventh largest country in the world. These are the known users." He drew attention to the issue of drugs fuelling organised crime, citing cases in France and Mexico. In Asia, Myanmar is reportedly one of the world's largest manufacturers of synthetic drugs. The country was named as the biggest host of organised crime in the world, according to the Global Organized Crime Index in 2023.
Straits Times
15-05-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
Singapore part of new coalition to tackle drug trafficking, abuse: Shanmugam
Minister for Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam addressing attendees of the Asia-Pacific Forum Against Drugs at Furama Riverfront Hotel on May 15. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO SINGAPORE - The Republic will be part of a new regional coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse. The group, called the Asia-Pacific Confederation against Drugs (APCD), will push for the creation of drug-free societies and stronger drug demand reduction efforts. The founding group will include members from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Hong Kong. On May 15, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam announced the formation of the coalition and said Singapore will be represented by the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association. Mr Shanmugam, who was accompanied by Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, was speaking at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Forum Against Drugs held at Furama RiverFront Hotel in Havelock Road. More than 300 coalition members, NGOs, partners, overseas correctional officers and local government officials are expected to attend the forum, which will take place from May 15 to 17. Mr Shanmugam, who is also Law Minister, said the APCD will strengthen regional cooperation through joint programmes, and speak up against the rising tide of liberal policies and misinformation on drugs. He announced this in the wake of the rising threat of potent synthetic drugs like fentanyl. He said Malaysia had detected traces of the opioid in its sewage systems in March, suggesting that locals were abusing the drug there. Said Mr Shanmugam: '(Fentanyl) is 50 times more potent than heroin, and its effects have been devastating. 'Between 2018 and 2022, or a 5-year period, over 250,000 Americans died from fentanyl overdose. In 2022 alone, there were about 200 people dying in the US every single day.' Mr Shanmugam added that the total number of deaths from fentanyl overdose in the US outnumbered the total number of people who have died in all of America's wars, including the Second World War, and the ones in Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan. He said unlike traditional plant-based drugs like cocaine or heroin, synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine, ketamine and fentanyl can be produced anywhere, even in the backyard of someone's house. He noted Myanmar is already one of the world's largest manufacturers of synthetic drugs, and one of the biggest hosts of organised crime in the world. 'The situation in our region is also worrying… This is happening right at our doorstep. But given how interconnected the world is, what happens in Myanmar has deep implications all over the world,' he said. He added that the rapid liberalisation of cannabis controls around the world has fuelled an increase in demand. A report by the United Nations estimated there are 228 million cannabis users globally in 2022. This is despite clear medical evidence that the use of cannabis can cause irreversible brain damage and serious psychiatric disorders, Mr Shanmugam said. Statistics by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) show that in 2024, more than half of new cannabis abusers arrested in Singapore were below 30, which suggested a growing permissiveness among young people towards the drug. The report showed methamphetamine, heroin and cannabis were the most commonly abused drugs in Singapore that year. Mr Shanmugam said a false narrative that cannabis is a 'soft drug' has been largely driven by commercial entities, similar to how tobacco corporations marketed smoking in the 1990s. '(Tobacco corporations) ran advertisements of doctors saying smoking was good for health. They even introduced flavoured cigarettes to make it more appealing to the younger generation. Cannabis companies are likewise downplaying the risks, driven by profits. They are also trying to entice the young,' he said. Mr Shanmugam said he had heard how cannabis lobby groups had argued for the drug's use as medicinal tools when he attended international forums, including at a United Nations forum. He said he would only support the use of cannabis for medical use if a national medical association said it required the drug for treatment. He added: 'But I won't support it if it is some company that is profiting from the use of cannabis that wants to legalise it without any controls, and is trying to do it in the form of candy to 10-year-olds.' He stressed Singapore will remain resolute in maintaining its tough stance against drugs, explaining that countries should be under no illusions about the difficulty in dealing with the global drug problem. He explained the Republic's death penalty is most commonly used for drug traffickers, and that these criminals are only focused on making money out of the death and misery of others. He said: 'And so we make our laws very clear. We tell people you traffic in drugs, you face the death penalty, and we impose it.' Mr Shanmugam said the global drug trade was a multi-billion dollar industry with powerful, vested interests. It exploits the vulnerable, corrupts state institutions, and undermines the will of governments to tackle this problem, undermining the fabric of societies, all for profit. He said: 'Challenging as it may be, we have to press on, because we have morality and right on our side, and it is the right thing to do.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Louisville air pollution regulator to contest grant termination for air toxics study
A logo on the side of an electric car for the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer) Louisville's air pollution regulator will dispute the Trump administration's termination of a grant that funded an air toxics monitoring study in West Louisville, a larger community effort to study air pollution health impacts in neighborhoods near the Rubbertown industrial complex. The Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District (APCD) received a memo from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency March 31 stating a $1 million grant from the Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program would be terminated because, in part, it was 'inconsistent with, and no longer effectuates, agency priorities.' An EPA official in a court filing wrote recently that the agency was canceling hundreds of EPA grants, most of them involving environmental justice programs. Matt Mudd, a spokesperson with APCD, told the Lantern Wednesday the regulator planned to dispute the grant termination with the EPA through an internal process. Rachael Hamilton, the executive director of APCD, in an April 16 board meeting described the option to dispute the grant termination as an 'administrative remedy' that would be sent to a regional EPA administrator. Hamilton said in the meeting last month there had been a 'fair amount' of litigation from other grantees that have had grants terminated. The funding, announced in 2023 during the Biden administration, was set to support the placement of canisters measuring volatile organic compounds and two other monitors measuring airborne metals. Some of the monitors were to be placed downwind of Rubbertown, a cluster of chemical plants near West Louisville that have long been the subject of complaints from the adjacent neighborhoods and beyond. The monitors were to be a part of a one-year study to compare the amount of air pollution and health impacts to a previous study done in the early 2000s that found levels of a number of cancer-causing pollutants to be unacceptable high. Mudd said the study's start date was 'imminent' before the grant was terminated. Terry Johnson, a spokesperson for the EPA regional office that covers Kentucky, in a statement said the EPA was reviewing all awarded grants 'to ensure each is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars and to understand how those programs align with administration priorities.' 'Maybe the Biden-Harris Administration shouldn't have forced their radical agenda of wasteful DEI programs and 'environmental justice' preferencing on the EPA's core mission of protecting human health and the environment,' Johnson said in his statement. Johnson did not answer emailed follow-up questions from the Lantern asking what specific issues the agency had with the grant. Rep. Joshua Watkins, D-Louisville, who represents parts of West Louisville neighborhoods in the state legislature, said he hoped the city would exhaust all resources 'to ensure that their mission isn't hindered by any changes — this sort of whiplash of changes — that we see coming from the federal government.' 'Environmental justice is a freedom issue, and if you don't have a high quality of air, you aren't free to breathe and live a quality of life,' Watkins told the Lantern. 'Clean air is nonpartisan. You need it if you're Republican, you need it if you're a Democrat.' Watkins, who noted city residents in predominantly Black neighborhoods in West Louisville have significantly lower life expectancies compared to the east half of the city, questioned why the air toxics monitoring study wouldn't align with the EPA's mission of protecting human health and the environment. 'What neighborhoods align, I guess, with the EPA mission?' he said. 'If not for the residents of West Louisville who have documented evidence of significantly worse health outcomes, why would we not focus on those citizens?' The air monitoring study was a piece of a larger project addressing the health impacts of air pollution, involving other community partners including the University of Louisville's Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, the West Jefferson County Community Task Force, Park DuValle Community Health Centers and Louisville's public health and wellness department. UofL researchers planned to conduct a wastewater sampling study alongside the air toxics monitoring study and collect data from both to determine 'community health risks'; Park DuValle Community Health Centers would use the health impact findings from the project to train health professionals on how to treat exposure to air pollution; and the West Jefferson Community Task Force would hold community meetings to provide feedback on the project's findings and policy recommendations. Arnita Gadson, the executive director of the West Jefferson County Community Task Force, told the Lantern she was especially interested in how the 'much needed' project planned to help inform community health workers and doctors on how to treat the impacts of exposure to air pollution. She said the health impacts of air pollution can also extend beyond West Louisville, given that residents impacted by pollution can move elsewhere and bring their health issues with them. 'This grant was to help everybody,' Gadson said. 'I think we were on the precipice of actually establishing a platform that meant that doctors really could start using some of this.' Attempts on Wednesday to reach the CEO of Park DuValle Community Health Centers and a key UofL researcher involved with the project were not successful. Eboni Cochran, the co-director of the grassroots organization Rubbertown Emergency ACTion that seeks to push back against pollution from industries in Rubbertown, told the Lantern while the termination of the grant was sad, APCD could do more to address immediate air pollution impacts. Cochran pointed to ongoing complaints of dust and fires at an industrial plant in the Parkland neighborhood of Louisville. 'An important part of what they were doing was to engage medical professionals, right? I think that is vital to the work of environmental justice,' Cochran said. 'However, you can even prevent or reduce people's likelihood of them even having to get to the medical professional if you listened to the people who live near these industries.'
