Photo: Kangwon National University Institute of Substance Use and Trauma Recovery
A policy symposium co-hosted by the Food and Drug Safety Agency and a lawmaker discussed early intervention methods for at-risk groups such as school dropouts, military personnel, and misusers of prescription drugs.
Key points
•Early detection of drug abuse
•Necessity of treatment/rehabilitation linkage system for at-risk groups
•Exploring policy solutions through prevention
On October 29, 2026, a policy symposium titled 'How to Detect and Intervene in the Gray Area of Narcotics' was held by the Food and Drug Safety Agency and Rep. Joo Jin-suk. The event focused on early detection and treatment/rehabilitation linkage for at-risk groups like school dropouts, military personnel, and misusers of prescription drugs.
Professor Kim Hye-seon highlighted the 'invisible time' between when risk begins and when actual support systems come into contact with the individual, emphasizing that this period should be used to identify the person and connect them to treatment/rehabilitation programs. Center Director Kim Jeong-hee and Deputy Director Oh In-mok discussed the importance of early intervention for school dropouts, military personnel, and misusers of prescription drugs, while Dr. Han Bu-sik suggested focusing on changes in patterns of misuse of over-the-counter medications.
Professor Kwang Jin-ju, CEO Kim Sun-chun, and Professor Kim Ho-jung led a policy roundtable discussion on who should detect risks and how, the criteria for judging mild conditions, and methods to connect these cases to treatment/rehabilitation systems. The symposium proposed shifting from an enforcement-focused approach to drug abuse issues toward early intervention and preventive policies.
Photo: Kangwon National University Institute of Substance Use and Trauma RecoveryPhoto: Kangwon National University Institute of Substance Use and Trauma Recovery
