'Drugs are slow killer of young generation'

Drugs will always bring losses to society. If no efforts are taken to tackle the problem, it will badly harm the younger generations. The Jakarta Post interviewed several people on the impact of illegal drugs.

Yanto, 40, a motorcycle taxi driver:

Drugs are the real slow but sure killer of our young generation. Their users are expanding and dealers keep targeting the potential users.

I'm really afraid that my eldest son, who is now a second grader of a junior high school, may become a user.

Once I experienced a nightmare when I took a passenger, who was apparently a drug dealer. I did not even know the crook inserted his drugs into my pocket due to a police raid on drugs at that time.

I had to pay Rp 70,000 to the police to set me free from any accusation and penalty since I was clean and not a drug user at all.

Drug users will always bring loses to society and that's why they could not be tolerated. They're like a deadly monster threatening every living human. The bigger their number the bigger the problem they'll cause to the people.

I think police and all law enforcers must soon take firmer actions to eradicate the drugs trafficking.

Heri, 20, has been a street busker along the Jakarta and Bekasi bus route for about two months.

I consume drugs, which are freely given by my street colleagues.

But frankly speaking, I only used it here, not at home. I guarantee that I won't get addicted as I cannot afford to buy them myself.

Should I become addicted to drugs, I will be very sad and my parents will be terribly upset. Living in Jakarta is not easy. We are living now in poverty, and I won't dare to worsen the situation.

But when I consumed the drugs for the first time, I felt that drugs can release me from my fear and even encourage me not to be lazy. Honestly, however, I prefer not to use drugs as I don't want to depend much on them.

I have to think twice to spend my earnings on drugs. It's better for meals, isn't it? I swear not to use it anymore as doing so will worsen my life.

Nuraini, 27, a mother of a seven-year-old son:

Narcotics must be eradicated as soon as possible. I do support such an effort. And the dealers should be executed. Otherwise, the condition will continue to worsen.

I can say that I am among those who once became users due to the drugs dealers' action. They are like crooks who simply want to see their business flourishing without considering that they ruin the society.

I frequently found that unemployed young people and parking attendants became addicted. They frequently extorted me. They have become bad-tempered hoodlums because of the evil drugs.

Therefore, we have to take efforts of saving our young generation from the negative impacts of the drugs.