68th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs – Speech by Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs & Ministry of National Development

1. Mr Chair,

2. Thank you, and congratulations on your appointment as Chair of the 68th CND.

Drug Trends

3. Excellencies, the global drug problem is worsening. More people are abusing drugs today. The World Drug Report 2024 highlighted that 292 million people had abused drugs in 2022 – a 20% increase over the past decade ^[1] .

4. In East and Southeast Asia, the illicit synthetic drug market is expanding at an alarming rate, with a record 190 tons of methamphetamine seized in the region in 2023 ^[2] .

Singapore’s Drug Control Approach and Effectiveness

5. Against this backdrop, Singapore adopts a harm prevention approach in dealing with the drug problem.

6. We adopt a comprehensive and balanced drug control framework that prioritises prevention, rehabilitation and law enforcement. This approach ensures that the country remains resilient in addressing evolving drug challenges while safeguarding public health and safety.

7. For example, in response to the concerning trend of early onset drug consumption among youths, we set up the Inter-Ministry Committee on Drug Prevention for Youths in 2023, to respond to this trend. We have:

(a) Designated every third Friday of May as the Drug Victims Remembrance Day, to raise greater public awareness of the impact and serious consequences of drug abuse on abusers, as well as on their family and community at large.

(b) We have also appointed more than 1,000 DrugFreeSG Champions comprising educators, student leaders, counsellors, youth workers, National Service and healthcare communities, and equipped them with essential anti-drug knowledge to amplify drug-free messages within their spheres of influence; and

(c) We have integrated our drug awareness messages in various government platforms to address early drug use and raise awareness of its associated harms.

8. Our approach has been successful.

(a) In a survey conducted by the National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA) in 2023, 9 in 10 youths felt that drug taking should remain illegal in Singapore, demonstrating the effectiveness of our Preventive Drug Education (PDE) programmes.

International Cooperation and Singapore’s Contribution

9. But Singapore cannot tackle the world drug problem alone.

10. That is why Singapore is committed to supporting the important work of the CND, INCB and UNODC in tackling the world drug problem.

11. We have shown this commitment as a member of the CND. For example,

(a) We support capacity building efforts and sharing of best practices. Singapore organised the Singapore Drug Control Programme (or SDCP), through which we shared our experience in drug control and benefited officials from 36 countries.

(b) Singapore holds the view that the global dialogue on drugs must be informed by reliable data and research. As such, we sponsored a chapter in the World Drug Report 2025 which examined the societal impact of illicit drug use, with a focus on adverse physical and mental health consequences. This will enhance our collective understanding of the world drug problem and aid our efforts in developing effective anti-drug strategies.

(c) Singapore and the Research and Trend Analysis Branch of the UNODC have also jointly organised a side event to examine the diverse and multifaceted impact of drug use across various dimensions. I invite delegations to join me at the side event at 4.30pm, tomorrow.

12. Singapore hopes to continue to contribute to the work of the CND. I am pleased to announce that Singapore will be running for the CND membership for the term 2028-2031. We are committed to strengthening international cooperation in drug control in three key areas:

(a) First, to engage constructively in global drug policy discourse and promote regional discussion on salient issues that are discussed at the CND.

(b) Second, to continue our efforts in capacity building to facilitate exchange of best practices. In addition to SDCP as mentioned earlier, we will be organising programmes focused on drug treatment and rehabilitation.

(c) Third, to support knowledge sharing and training, and strengthen the global scientific expertise in drugs testing and identification through platforms such as UNODC webinars and Asian Forensic Sciences Network (AFSN) working groups.

Conclusion

13. We look forward to your support for Singapore’s candidature for CND membership and we look forward to working together to shape effective and evidence-based drug policies.

14. Thank you.

[1] World Drug Report 2024”, Special Points of Interest, UNODC

[2] Synthetic Drugs in East and Southeast Asia: Latest Developments and Challenges 2024”, UNODC, May 2024