Society

Drug users hooked by bad friends

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-06-24 19:41

Bad friends have become the main reason juveniles develop drug addiction in Beijing, Legal Evening newspaper reported on Friday.

From June 2010 to June 2011, 60 percent of 100 drug-related crimes were committed by those born after 1980, while 90 percent of the young drug users admitted taking drugs due to the influence of their friends. Among those, 70 percent are young migrant workers with a low education who come to work in Beijing.

Procurator Che Yumei of Changping People's Procuratorate said most young people took drugs out of curiosity at the beginning. One 18-year-old girl became addicted to drugs because her friend said it helped her to lose weight.

Over 30 percent of young people took drugs again after being released from prison, said Jiao Guibin, a judge with Haidian People's Court. Jiao also said KTV, bars, cinemas and restaurants are the top places for drug dealing.