Compared to Western countries and the ROC's affluent Asian neighbors, drug abuse in Taiwan was not a problem before 1970 and only a minor problem during the 1970's and 1980's. At that time, while some teenagers practieced glue sniffing, young adults used pentazo-cine and sedatives. Their number was rather limited. Addicts of heroin or morphine were found mostly in the underworld. In the later half of the 1980's, double-digit economic growth, low inflation and minimal unemployment steadily pushed economic prosperity in Taiwan towards new heights. The process of political democratization further loosened the social discipline. Dramatic changes began to appear in the drug scene. Since 1990, methamphetamine suddenly replaced soft drugs as the most popluar drug in Taiwan, and its abuse spread at an astonishing speed. Meanwhile, heroin consumption also started to jump and leap during 1990-93. A look at the volume of illegal drugs seized and the number of offenders convicted may give us a clearer picture of just how bad the problem is.

Drug Seizures	Drug Offenders
Estimated Drug Users	Drug Inmate Population
Why Do People Use Drugs?	Drug Dealers and Their Operations