According to Macau’s latest data, a total of 132 drug abuse cases were reported in 2025, with a clear trend of users getting younger, as the average age for first-time drug use was only 22.8 years, Au Hon Sam Charity Association President Au Hon Chen said during an opening ceremony on Saturday.
Au made the remarks during the “2nd Macau Carnival on Drug Abuse Prevention and Healthy Lifestyle Promotion” opening ceremony at the Rotunda de Carlos da Maia sitting-out area, colloquially known as “Three Lamps”. The event aimed to support the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26 June.
Au noted in a speech that many young people, influenced by peers or pressured by daily life, start taking drugs out of momentary curiosity and end up going down the wrong path. Meanwhile, the risk of new types of drugs entering Macau continues to rise, he said.
According to the United Nations’ latest World Drug Report, the global number of drug users has reached an all-time high. Traditional drugs remain widespread, while highly concealable new substances such as etomidate (“space oil”) are quietly endangering the public, particularly threatening young people, Au said.
Au told reporters on the sidelines of the opening ceremony that as youth drug abuse becomes increasingly covert, with the trend of drug users getting younger, the government is pushing ahead with amending tobacco control laws and plans to completely ban the possession and use of e-cigarettes, adding that he believes the regulation can effectively cut off young people’s access to the new type of drug carriers at the source.
Au noted that the summer school holiday is a high-risk period for teenagers to come into contact with new drugs and addictive substances, as their freedom for social and outdoor activities greatly increases and covert sales channels for new drugs multiply. Au urged parents to pay close attention to their children’s daily behaviour, social circles and types of out-of-school activities, and to watch for any unusual online or offline entertainment activities.
Au Hon Sam Charity Association President Au Hon Chen addresses the opening ceremony for the “2nd Macau Carnival on Drug Abuse Prevention and Healthy Lifestyle Promotion” at the Rotunda de Carlos da Maia sitting-out area on Saturday. – Photo: Ida Cheong
