Premier Mao Chi-kuo today instructed drug prevention and control agencies to employ meticulous analyses of big data to facilitate relevant policy formation.
Mao made these remarks while presiding over a meeting of the Executive Yuan's committee on drug prevention and control.
Drug prevention and control is an important task of the government and involves multifarious aspects and complicated processes, the premier pointed out. Law enforcement authorities have much data on individual cases that can be used for big-data analysis to serve as references for policymaking.
Mao cited two reports delivered at the meeting—analyses of the nation's present drug situation and of medical drug abuses—and asked relevant agencies to proceed from there and invite the participation of experts to conduct big-data analysis. However, particular attention must be paid to such issues as privacy and protection of personal information, Mao admonished.
Regarding the drug-situation report, the premier stated that in comparison to 2013, a much higher volume of drugs was seized in 2014 but there were far fewer cases and arrests. The premier thus asked the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office to appropriately adjust its drug-crackdown strategy based on these statistical data and observations.
Crackdowns on drugs should not focus merely on the volume seized or the number of cases prosecuted; even more attention should be paid to tracing the drugs to the source, Mao said. In recent years, mainland China has become a major supplier of drugs to Taiwan. The premier enjoined the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and various drug enforcement agencies to consolidate their efforts in cracking down on drug crimes and cut off the mainland supply chains to the domestic market, capitalizing on the existent foundation of cross-strait collaboration to fight crimes.
A recent double homicide in the Ximending neighborhood of Taipei that has shocked the entire society is believed to be connected with disputes over drug deals, the premier said. He indicated this demonstrates drug-related problems affect a society's public order and called for the National Police Agency to augment crackdowns on drug crimes in order to completely cut off distribution networks.
As for the medical drug abuse report by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), the premier stated that Class III ketamine is on the rise, as is a new trend of medical drug abuses. Efforts to crack down on drugs should thus focus on these areas, he stated. He thus instructed the MOHW to compile and analyze relevant information to comprehensively display domestic drug abuse trends. The MOHW is to then provide these data to prosecutorial and investigation authorities for the formulation of counter strategies in order to effectively prevent and curb such crimes.
Rapid drug-screening technology developed by the Ministry of Science and Technology will help raise the efficacy of drug control, the premier said. He asked that this program continue and that the MOHW promote greater use of this technology by civilians (such as parents and teachers) in order to keep youths away from the dangers of drugs.
The MOJ's Investigation Bureau gave a report on the outflow of ephedrine as an ingredient for manufacturing illegal drugs, based on analysis from past crackdowns. Mao stated that although controls on the outflow of cold medication have already paid off, some unscrupulous pharmaceutical dealers are still hoarding such medicine. He thus asked the FDA and investigative agencies to keep up relevant auditing and tracing efforts.
The smuggling of ephedrine into drug manufacturing plants harms not only citizens' health but also social order, Mao emphasized. He asked relevant agencies to continue crackdowns and monitoring and called for such drug ingredients to be kept outside the nation's borders.
The Taichung City Government has reported recommendations regarding treatment of drug addicts. Mao responded that drug prevention and control is a joint responsibility of central and local governments. Depending on the situation, central competent authorities (such as the MOJ, MOHW and MOE) could supplement local governments' drug-control budgets by providing subsidies, he noted. Mao tasked the MOHW to be responsible for the funding plan and to invite local governments to join in the deliberations.