KOTA BARU (Bernama): Primary schoolchildren have become the latest target of drug dealers in the state, said Kelantan National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) director Rohayu Ahmad.

Rohayu said the disturbing trend began in 2015 and there has been an increase in the number of younger children who are being lured into drug addiction.

"Previously, only secondary school students were enticed but over the last three years, we have even seen nine-year-olds starting to take drugs” she said after opening the ‘Program Amanat Mufti Kepada Orang Kena Pengawasan' (Mufti's message to people on watchlist programme) here on Wednesday (Dec 5) .

The programme was held to apply Islamic elements and to address unhealthy influences in society for those who attended the programme.

However, Rohayu did not disclose the number of primary school pupils who were drug users or addicts but advised the group to seek treatment at the Cure and Care Treatment Centre located at Pengkalan Chepa, near Kota Bharu.

She said that primary school children had a desire to try new things and were unaware of the effects of drug intake and addiction.

Royau said that Kelantan was the state with the second highest number of drug addicts, at 8,115, after Kedah.

She said that of the total, 111 were female addicts who were mostly "trapped" because they were influenced by their husbands, boyfriends or a family member who was also a drug addict.

Meanwhile, she said that Kelantan's location near the Thai border also affected the drug addiction trend in the state. - Bernama