Mainstreaming the 'Ananda Bersinar' Movement Towards a Golden Indonesia 2045

Indonesia is in a phase that will significantly determine its historical direction. Over the next two decades, the nation is projected to enjoy a demographic dividend, a condition where the productive-age population far exceeds the non-productive. The 2035-2045 period is expected to be the peak of this momentum, coinciding with the Golden Indonesia 2045 target. This momentum is believed to be capable of becoming an engine for economic growth, increased national productivity, and strengthening Indonesia’s competitiveness globally. However, the demographic dividend is not an automatic guarantee of becoming a developed nation. Its success is highly determined by the quality of the human resources that fill it. The demographic dividend will only become a strength if the majority of the productive-age population grows up healthy, educated, with character, and highly competitive. Conversely, if the younger generation becomes trapped in drug abuse, the demographic dividend will instead turn into a demographic disaster that hinders national development. Among the various challenges of human development, the threat of drugs is one of the most rapidly growing and complex issues. The illicit drug trade no longer relies on conventional patterns. Advances in digital technology have changed how drug networks operate through social media, encrypted messaging applications, electronic financial transactions, goods delivery services, and increasingly adaptive transnational crime networks. More worryingly, the main target of drug distribution has now shifted to children and teenagers. They are in a phase of self-discovery, have high curiosity, and are growing up in a very open digital ecosystem. This condition makes them the group most vulnerable to negative influences, including various forms of covert promotion and the normalisation of drug use in the digital space. This threat is reflected in the results of the 2025 Drug Abuse Prevalence Survey, which showed an increase in prevalence from 1.73 percent in 2023 to 2.11 percent, or around 4.1 million Indonesian residents. This increase is not merely a statistic but an alarm that drug abuse remains a serious threat to the quality of Indonesia’s human resources. A more worrying fact is that the majority of abusers come from the productive age group of 15-49 years, the very group expected to be the main driver of development towards Golden Indonesia 2045. Furthermore, around 70 percent of children and teenagers start using drugs out of curiosity and a desire to try. This fact confirms that drug abuse originates more from a failure of the prevention system than solely a law enforcement issue. Therefore, eradicating drugs cannot rely only on a repressive approach. Law enforcement remains important to sever illicit drug distribution networks, but prevention must be positioned as the primary strategy. As long as demand for drugs continues to emerge from the younger generation, distribution networks will always find new markets. The complexity of the threat is increasing with the development of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), which are new psychoactive substances designed to have effects resembling conventional narcotics but are continuously modified so they are often not yet covered by regulation. To date, more than 1,452 types of NPS have been identified globally, while around one hundred types have been found in Indonesia. Some of these, such as Ketamine, Kratom, MDMB-5-Methyl-INACA, AB-INACA, and Isopropoxate, still require more specific legal arrangements. This phenomenon shows that the war on drugs has entered a new chapter. The state is no longer just facing classic drugs like methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin, or ecstasy, but is also confronting chemical innovations that develop far faster than the regulatory drafting process. This condition demands the strengthening of forensic laboratory capabilities, early warning systems, and public policies that are adaptive to the development of threats. Another no less worrying development is the rampant abuse of vape liquids containing synthetic narcotics. Findings from the National Narcotics Agency show the presence of synthetic cannabinoids, methamphetamine, and even etomidate in a number of illegal vape products. This modus operandi shows how drugs are now packaged to resemble modern lifestyle products, making them more easily accepted by teenagers. When drugs appear in a form that looks legal and attractive, the challenge of prevention becomes far greater than before. The changing character of the threat indicates that the current prevention approach needs to be strengthened. Prevention is not sufficient if carried out through brief counselling, ceremonial campaigns, or incidental activities. Changing children’s behaviour requires a long process through character education, family strengthening, a healthy school environment, digital literacy, and continuous community involvement. Thus, protecting children from the threat of drugs must become mainstream in Indonesia’s human development policy. This perspective should not be seen as the sole responsibility of the National Narcotics Agency but must be integrated into policies on education, health, child protection, youth, village development, and digital transformation. In the education sector, for example, anti-drug education needs to be integrated with character building, life skills, critical thinking abilities, and digital literacy. Children need to be equipped with the ability to recognise various new modes of drug abuse, including information manipulation on social media and peer pressure.