China sees over 25 pct decline in new drug users last year

BEIJING -- The number of new drug users last year decreased by 26.6 percent from the previous year, a report on China's drug control situation showed Monday.

New drug users under the age of 35 fell 31 percent last year, according to the report issued by the China National Narcotics Control Commission.

The number of juveniles involved in drug-related crimes also declined in 30 provincial-level areas, it said.

The report noted that there were about 2.4 million drug users nationwide at the end of 2018, down 5.8 percent from the year before, adding that 1.53 million of the drug users were addicted to the methamphetamine.

Methamphetamine has replaced heroin to be the most addicting drug in China and marijuana abuse continued to rise in 2018, according to the report.