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Yoon Chang-ryul, the Minister for Government Policy Coordination, delivers remarks during the 2nd Narcotics Control Council meeting held at the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno District, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 24th. / Courtesy of Yonhap News

Per-capita prescription rates of medical narcotics have surged among children, teenagers, and young adults in their 20s.

According to the "2025 Medical Narcotics Statistics" released by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 24th, 20.2 million South Koreans received at least one prescription for medical narcotics last year. Among them, prescriptions for anesthetics such as propofol accounted for 12.62 million patients, while hypnotics and sedatives like midazolam and zolpidem were prescribed to 9.72 million people.

The ministry attributed the overall rise in medical narcotic prescriptions to growing health awareness, an aging population, and the subsequent increase in medical checkups and treatments. However, a closer look at the age-specific data reveals a troubling trend of prescription drug abuse among youth and young adults.

The total number of patients nationwide rose 7.17% from 18.84 million in 2021 to 20.19 million in 2025, while total prescriptions grew 7.08% from 1.82 billion to 1.95 billion units during the same period. While total prescriptions appear to have increased proportionally with the growing patient pool, an alarming imbalance has emerged among younger demographics.

For the cohort aged under 20, the number of patients grew by a modest 8.27%, rising from 572,498 in 2021 to 619,836 in 2025. In stark contrast, total prescriptions for this group skyrocketed by 81.13%, jumping from 42.27 million to 76.58 million units. When calculated on a per-capita basis, the average number of prescribed units per patient jumped 67.29% over four years, surging from 73.8 to 123.5 units.

Indicators for young adults in their 20s reveal an equally severe situation. This cohort was the only demographic to record a decline in total patients, which fell 13.15% from 1.47 million in 2021 to 1.27 million in 2025. Despite fewer people receiving prescriptions, total prescription volume for individuals in their 20s dropped by a mere 1.60%, edging down from 142.97 million units to 140.67 million units. Consequently, the per-capita prescription rate for patients in their 20s actually grew by 13.30%, rising from 97.2 to 110.1 units over the four-year period.

Public concern over substance abuse among young adults has flared up again recently after a woman in her 30s sparked controversy when she was found incapacitated on the street after administering propofol.

On a positive note, the ministry's introduction of a mandatory verification system—requiring physicians to review patient medication histories through the Medical Shopping Prevention Information Network—has led to a visible drop in the abuse of high-risk drugs like fentanyl patches. Prior to the policy, the number of outpatients prescribed fentanyl patches stood at 12,083. Following implementation, that figure fell 28.8% to 8,602 in the first year, and dropped further by 35.7% to 7,772 in the second year.

                                                                                                        Lee Jeong-yeon