Senator Dayat El Highlights Drug Distribution Through Vape Pods and E-Cigarettes

Senator Muhammad Hidayattollah, representing South Kalimantan and popularly known as Dayat El, raised strategic concerns regarding narcotics prevention and eradication during a working meeting between Committee I of the Regional Representative Council (DPD RI) and the National Narcotics Agency (BNN). During the meeting, Dayat El asserted that the war on drugs cannot rely solely on legal enforcement. He emphasised that prevention efforts must be strengthened through massive and structured digital literacy initiatives from an early age, starting from primary school through to higher education. ‘Children and the younger generation must be equipped with the ability to understand the dangers of drugs from an early age, including recognising the various modes of distribution that are now proliferating in the digital space,’ he stated on Wednesday. As a representative who consistently voices youth issues in parliament, he also highlighted the increasing prevalence of pod-based and electronic cigarette devices being used as a medium for narcotics consumption and distribution. Consequently, he requested that the BNN reinforce preventive measures, particularly in his constituency of South Kalimantan. Beyond prevention, Dayat El argued that strengthening rehabilitation services must also be a serious focus. He noted that victims of drug abuse should be granted easy and adequate access to rehabilitation without stigma, allowing them the opportunity to recover and become productive members of society once more. ‘Eradication efforts must go hand in hand with prevention and rehabilitation. We cannot allow those who wish to recover to face difficulties in accessing proper rehabilitation services,’ he stressed. On the same occasion, Hidayattollah expressed his condolences over the death of a police officer in Central Kalimantan who was killed while dismantling a drug trafficking network. Although the incident occurred outside his electoral district, he stated that the officer’s sacrifice serves as a reminder that narcotics crime is a national threat that must be confronted collectively. ‘I offer my deepest condolences for the fallen police officer. This sacrifice proves that the war on drugs requires courage, synergy, and commitment from all parties. This is not a problem for one region, but a responsibility for the entire nation,’ he concluded.