Interview by Armindo Neves
Marking today’s International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) will host a special event to commemorate the occasion and launch the 2026 UNODC World Drug Report at 1 p.m. local time at the UN headquarters in New York.
Ahead of the launch, the Post interviewed Lao Chin Soi, general secretary of the Christian New Life Fellowship (Macau), early this month at the organisation’s headquarters on Estrada Nova da Ilha Verde (青洲新馬路), to discuss Macau’s shifting landscape of drug abuse
Covert spread of new synthetic drugs
“With dramatic changes in both the social environment and the drug market, Macau’s anti-drug efforts are now facing unprecedented challenges related to concealment”, Lao, who holds a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, said.
He said that although the 2025 report from the Macau Central Registry System for Drug Addicts shows a drop of about 10 percent in registered drug abusers – with the average age climbing to 42.9 years old – frontline experience suggests these figures mask a massive, hidden iceberg of unreported abuse.
Lao underlined that many young users are now using modern devices, such as e-cigarettes, to consume drugs in private spaces. Because they bypass law enforcement detection, a dangerous blind spot has emerged in official data, he said, warning that the real scale of youth addiction must not be ignored.
Evolution of the drug market
Lao said that when his group was established in 1996, it primarily provided live-in rehabilitation treatment services for heroin addicts. However, by 2016, the widespread availability of methadone substitution therapy led to a significant drop in live-in treatment admissions.
His organisation then adapted its approach to the new situation by pivoting entirely to community-based rehabilitation counselling. Through its affiliated units, WePoint and The S.Y. Tribe, it now provides overnight outreach services and community-based treatment.
What is overnight outreach?
Overnight outreach involves social workers actively entering the community during late-night hours to engage with vulnerable youths in the streets. The service aims to provide immediate crisis intervention, emotional support, and counselling to steer them away from drugs and crime.
Reflecting on the history of local drug trends, Lao pointed out that drug syndicates aggressively mirror corporate marketing tactics. Around 2003, responding to the local disco craze, young people predominantly used ecstasy. Subsequently, laughing gas (nitrous oxide), cough syrup, ketamine, and crystal meth (ice) emerged in waves.
In recent years, dealers have begun mixing animal tranquillisers or prescription medications – such as sleeping pills and inhalants – to manufacture new synthetic drugs, whilst also aggressively promoting cannabis.
Lao specifically noted that biased marketing messages from countries where cannabis has been legalised have misled local youth and overseas students. Many adolescents fall into the trap of believing they are smart enough to control their use without becoming addicted.
“It is like a frog in slowly heating water”, Lao warned. “Before they know it, they have sunk deep into addiction.”
E-cigarettes: a breeding ground for concealment
When asked about the biggest hurdle in contemporary anti-drug work, Lao singled out “the concealment of tools and venues”.
The 2025 Central Registry report confirms that most drug use now occurs in hidden, private settings like friends’ homes or hotel rooms. Furthermore, the rise of e-cigarettes has provided the perfect cover for consuming new substances, such as cannabis oil and etomidate – locally known as “space oil”.
Lao pointed out that Hong Kong has already enacted a total ban on e-cigarettes, whereas Macau’s current system of issuing minor fines is largely ineffective when vaping occurs behind closed doors.
Given that medical science has established the carcinogenic risks of e-cigarettes, and considering how easily they are repurposed for illicit drug consumption, Lao urged all sectors of civil society to close this legal loophole and push for a blanket ban at the source. This, he argued, would protect the younger generation and prevent frontline workers from being trapped in a passive game of “cat and mouse”.
Systemic failures and family dynamics
Addressing the seemingly “ageing” demographic of local drug users, Lao clarified that older addicts are simply more visible within the registry system. Younger users remain deeply hidden due to the stigma and fear of disclosure
He urged the community to take a closer look at the marginalisation of young people in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. This includes rising school dropout rates and shifts from formal to non-formal education. Furthermore, following recent structural adjustments in Macau’s gaming industry, vulnerable youths lacking a steady income are being exploited by criminal syndicates to engage in cross-border smuggling or drug trafficking for easy money.
Lao stressed that drug abuse is no longer just a substance issue, but a deep-seated psychological and systemic problem. “Behind rebellious behaviour and substance abuse often lie hidden childhood wounds or a lack of warmth within the family”, he said.
A call to action for schools and parents
Educational Reform: Lao suggested schools reduce their singular focus on elite academic streaming and instead provide alternative pathways – such as music, sport, and crafts – to give non-traditional students a sense of immediate achievement and validation.
Parental Engagement: He advised parents to better understand their children’s emotional needs, noting that modern families face severe friction from shift-work schedules, over-reliance on domestic helpers, and the disconnect of grandparent-led parenting.
Breaking the Stigma: Parents must abandon authoritarian scolding, listen actively, and ensure the home is a safe haven. Lao urged families not to refuse professional help out of a misplaced desire to avoid airing “domestic shame” publicly. “Care can break the vicious cycle of drug proliferation”, Lao said.
To lower barriers for families in distress, the Christian New Life Fellowship launched online outreach services in 2019, allowing worried parents and youths to securely connect with social workers.
“Drug prevention is a long-term battle of wits and strength against drug dealers”, Lao concluded. “Only by seamlessly integrating robust legislation, strict law enforcement, frontline counselling, and proactive family education can we completely break the vicious cycle of drug proliferation.”
Christian New Life Fellowship (Macau) General Secretary Lao Chin Soi poses with the organisation’s Chinese-language book, “History of Drug Rehabilitation in Macau” at its headquarters on Estrada Nova da Ilha Verde early this month. – Photo: Armindo Neves
