Recent trends of drug abuse and drug-associated deaths in Korea

Methamphetamine is the most abused drug in Korea followed by cannabis and opiates. Recent characteristics of the drug problem in Korea include increased drug smuggling from abroad, drug trafficking by organized gangs, varieties of drug smuggling, foreigners engaged in drug smuggling, and spread among drug abusers and areas. New drugs such as MDMA, Yaba, and LSD are found in greater proportion in the seizure records, indicating diversification of smuggled drugs in Korea. In addition, there is a growing tendency for the abuse of common medicines among young people in Korea because they are easily available. Methamphetamine is so seriously abused that fatalities from its overdose have occurred; since 1985, 20 such fatalities have been reported. Many deaths from the abuse of noncontrolled substances, especially dextromethorphan, zipeprol, and carisoprodol, which are taken for their hallucinogenic effects, were also reported. Recently, there was even a fatality related to smuggling of cocaine by body-packing.