The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department in early December provided guidance to 28 people aged between 12 and 19 in Shinjuku's Kabukicho district, one of Tokyo's largest nightlife areas.
An area of Kabukicho called Toyoko is a well-known gathering site for minors who have run away from home due to reasons such as bullying or abuse. They sometimes use over-the-counter drugs for recreational purposes.
Police patrolling the area recently encountered minors who possessed large amounts of over-the-counter cough medicine. The police suspect the purpose was drug abuse. In November, they arrested four people in the area on suspicion of selling non-prescription drugs.
Abuse of non-prescription drugs on the rise
Abuse of over-the-counter drugs is rising among young people.
One high school student told NHK about her drug experience. "At first I felt high and was having fun, then I felt sick so I told myself I wouldn't do it anymore. But after a while I wanted to do it again. I became addicted." She says she finally quit after one of her friends suddenly died.
Even elementary school students have fallen victim to drug abuse. Last week, two girls in Tokyo's Meguro Ward had to be rushed to a hospital by ambulance after overdosing on non-prescription drugs.
A health ministry research team conducted a survey of 122 people who were taken to hospitals by ambulance after overdosing on non-prescription drugs. Their average age was 25.8 and 80 percent were women.
When asked how they obtained the over-the-counter drugs, with multiple answers allowed, 65.9 percent of the respondents said they bought them at stores while 9.3 percent said they purchased them online.
Dr. Kyan Ryoko treats overdose patients at Saitama Medical University Hospital's Clinical Toxicology Center. She's also a member of the ministry's research team.
Kyan says, "Many of the patients I see are extremely sick and exhibit symptoms such as frequent vomiting or an inability to walk.
Experts present draft for new drug-sales system
The health ministry's panel of experts on Monday presented a draft for a new drug-sales system aimed at curbing abuse.
It suggests banning sales of multiple boxes of drugs to people under the age of 20. It also calls for verifying their names and ages, and keeping records of such transactions. And it recommends that online shops provide instructions on how to use the medicine via video calls.
In addition, the draft calls for limiting sales of medicine to one box per person in principle for those aged 20 and older. If more than one box is requested, pharmacists should verify the purpose and confirm the buyer's name with a photo ID. A video call would be required for online sales of multiple boxes.
