Three million addicted to drugs

Three million addicted to drugs

MEDAN, North Sumatra: At least three million Indonesians,
mostly members of the younger generation, are addicted to
narcotics, while the number of people infected with HIV/AIDS
increased to almost 500 last year, experts said here on
Wednesday.

"It is embarrassing that the youth generation, who it is hoped
may develop the nation and state in the future, become the
victims of drugs," Rumintan Naibaho, a legal expert from the
North Sumatra capital of Medan, said.

Their existence could even destroy the country, he added.

Previous data from a hospital specialist for drug addicted
patients showed that only 1.5 million Indonesians were involved
in drug consumption.

Rumintan, citing the latest data from Jakarta's Indonesian
Children's Welfare Foundation (YKAI) chaired by herbal medical
expert Dadang Hawari, also said at 426 Indonesians had been
infected with HIV and 57 others had full-blown AIDS. --Antara