Narcotics have been permeating into our society at an alarming rate. These abusive drugs, whose usage had hitherto been limited to celebrities or certain groups of society, have found their way to such people as businessmen, housewives, taxi drivers, students and so on. There was even the recent case of a police officer who was discharged of his duties after it was found that he had habitually taken philopon.

According to reports by the Prosecutor-General's Office on narcotics review this past May 7th, there were a total of 2156 people charged with drug-related offenses in one police jurisdiction alone this year. Compared to last year, this represents an increase of 31.1%. The public prosecutor's office report last March of there having been over ten thousand people charged with drug-related offenses in this country is old news, and a sign of how fast drugs are permeating into our society.

This past May 8th, previous and current members of the popular music groups 'Uptown' and 'Drunken Tiger' were detained on suspicion of narcotics usage. Last April 21st, there was the incredulous case of one mother, whose son and daughter and son-in-law were already all serving prison sentences for possession of drugs, who was caught trafficking drugs to alleviate her financial troubles.

Moreover, there was the case last month of a group of female university students in their 20's who took high-powered hallucinatory substances and began a 'hallucination party' at a techno bar near a university. And it is a well-documented fact that there have been many cases of taxi drivers taking drugs to lose their fear of 'bullet-driving'(i.e. speed-driving) at night.

There are a few reasons for why our country, which had previously been regarded as a relatively drug-free society, is fast becoming tarnished. The sudden trend towards internationalization and open-door policies have helped increase the amount of foreign drugs that are smuggled into this country. The supply network for drugs have become diverse via the internet, which can be used to order drugs by mail or special delivery. Also, the fact that the price of drugs have gradually decreased and therefore more easily accessible, has contributed to the diversification and dissemination of drug usage into different levels of society.

A more alarming statistic, however, is the fact that people in the ages between 20 - 40, the flowering years of one's life, make up 87.2% of all drug offenders, and that teens are showing a steep increase in drug offenses. As well, a serious concern is that the kinds of drugs and ways of taking them have diversified, and this ultimately greatly endangers the national health.

In just naming a few of the drugs that are presently in wide usage, such as LSD, Cocaine, Heroin, Ecstasy, Black Cocaine and so on, we can see how much they have already diversified. Among these, it is known that LSD, a high-powered hallucinatory substance, can be a fatal drug which, with even the slightest dosage, can bring damage to the chromosomes. Research results have shown that Ecstasy, widely known as 'doli doli' in Korea, can damage the brain's nervous system.

Experts say that "the fact that 54% of drug users start to use drugs out of curiosity or temptation reflects how easy it is to obtain drugs" and warned that "if this keeps up, it won't be far before our country becomes a paradise for drugs like the United States."

Almost all drug users say they take drugs to forget insecurities or out of curiosity. But that one moment of decision can lead into an abyss that you can't get out of.

When King Pasedani asked the Buddha what it means to love oneself, he replied thus: "If a person performs evil acts through his body, or words, or meaning, then this person does not love or protect himself. A person who truly loves himself and tries to protect himself must be flawless in guarding against evil during even the slightest moment, and practice virtuous deeds." (Samyuktagama Sutra) If a person's actions are rash and he does not deeply reflect upon these actions, then the result is not only injury to oneself but also to others. Drugs are no different. Although it is important for the government to crack down on drug trafficking, it is also equally essential that each individual of society make efforts to protect him or herself from drugs.