TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Anti-Narcotics Agency (BNN) said Jakarta had high prevalence rate of drug users with seven percent from a total of seven millions of Jakartans or around 500,000 people addicted to drugs.
BNN chief Com. Gen. Anang Iskandar said the high figure could stem from the large demands from drug users. “Drug distribution is also a matter of supply and demand,” he said on Thursday.
Anang said illegal drugs would continue circulating if demands remained high. He added the BNN would attempt to reduce supply and demand of drugs. “We reduce the demand through people’s potential while we cut supply through law enforcers,” said Anang.
Anang said, according to the law, drug users should be rehabilitated as opposed to being put in jail as rehabilitation would likely reduce the number of drug users. On the other hand, he added, drug dealers must be punished severely.
“Drug dealers should be charged with the law on money laundering,” he said. Anang explained based on the law the wealth and possessions of the drug dealers could be seized, thus preventing them from restarting their businesses after serving their time at prisons.
NINIS CHAIRUNNISA
