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Drug abuse claims 33 human lives everyday
Despite harsh penalties imposed on drug dealers, the death toll from drug abuse continues increasing in Indonesia
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Despite harsh penalties imposed on drug dealers, the death toll from drug abuse continues increasing in Indonesia.
Head of National Narcotics Agency (BNN) Comr. Gen. Anang Iskandar revealed that the current prevalence of drug abuse in the country has reached a high of 4 million, or 2.18 percent of the total population, up from 1.99 percent in 2008.
'From that number, an average of 33 people die from narcotics everyday,' he said in a seminar on narcotics, rehabilitation and the death penalty in Surabaya, East Java, on Wednesday.
Anang said further that the numerous drug cases have caused enormous economic losses.
'The value reaches Rp 63 trillion [US$4.76 billion],' he said as quoted by tribunnews.com.
That is why President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo has declared a drug emergency, called for maximum penalties for drug dealers and producers and rejected giving amnesty to them, he continued.
'If drug traffickers, dealers and producers are sentenced to death, the Attorney General is ordered to carry out the death sentence immediately,' he added.
A number of people, mostly foreigners who were sentenced to death for drug trafficking, were recently executed on Nusakambangan Island in Central Java and more death row inmates are still waiting for their turn to face a firing squad. (rms)
