Estimated total use of major illegal drugs in sewage has declined for five consecutive years
Jun 12, 2025
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In particular, methamphetamine (34 locations) was detected in all sewage treatment plants surveyed every year, but the estimated amount of use last year decreased by 59% compared to 2020. Additionally, estimates of use of MDMA (Extasy) began to decline in 2022, and estimates of use of cocaine decreased year-over-year in 2024.
As a result of analyzing the estimated amount of use by region, it was found that methamphetamine (pylophone) was used relatively heavily in Incheon and Sihwa, Gyeonggi Province. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety explained that the estimated amount of methamphetamine (philophone) used in areas where foreigners are concentrated (12 sewage treatment plants) additionally surveyed last year was about 141 percent compared to the national average, which was consistent with the trend of increasing foreign drug offenders.
In response, the government plans to operate a pan-governmental joint crackdown team consisting of the National Police Agency and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office this year to crack down on facilities where foreigners are concentrated to prevent the spread of illegal drug use by foreigners. In addition, based on the results of the survey over the past five years, it plans to develop this year's sewage epidemiological investigation project into a 'Our Neighborhood Sewage Monitoring Network' project to track it extensively and elaborately.
Oh Yoo-kyung, Minister of Food and Drug Safety, said, `The detection of illegal drugs for five consecutive years in all sewage treatment plants across the country is a serious problem that cannot be neglected, and the whole nation will work together to eradicate illegal drug use and the government will continue to find effective ways to respond with caution and determination.'
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
