Ecstasy arrests triple in one year Japan

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 06 Aug 2004 - 11:00 PDT

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Police arrested or sent papers to prosecutors on almost three times as many people suspected of possessing ecstasy pills and other synthetic drugs during the first six months of this year than during the same period last year, the National Police Agency said in a report Thursday.

The NPA said police arrested or sent papers on 212 people on suspicion of violating the Narcotic and Psychotropic Drug Control Law between January and June this year, compared with 82 similar arrests between January and June last year. The figure includes cases in which charges were not filed.

At the current rate, the total number of people arrested in 2004 is set to be far higher than 2003's total of 256, which was an all-time high, the NPA said. The figures have highlighted the fact that ecstasy use among young people is becoming more common, with a sharp rise recorded in the number of teenagers and people in their 20s arrested or sent to prosecutors for such offenses.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/main/main-e.htm

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