Top court targets legal action over drug cases

Chinese courts have been directed to apply the law strictly when adjudicating cases related to narcotic and psychotropic substances and to collaborate with other agencies to enhance public legal education.

The directive was issued by the Supreme People's Court, China's top court, on Monday, following a rise in the proportion of "new drug" cases in recent years.

Liu Weibo, deputy chief judge of the SPC's Fifth Criminal Division, noted that while China has seen a steady decline in overall drug-related cases, issues involving new types of drugs are a growing concern.

He presented data indicating that courts across the country concluded 23,732 first-instance drug-related cases in 2025, reflecting a 33.82 percent decrease from the 36,000 cases in 2024 and an 82.93 percent drop from the 139,000 cases in 2015.

"Despite this progress, the current drug situation in China remains complex and volatile due to various international and domestic factors. Particularly, the challenges posed by new drugs are becoming more acute, complicating anti-drug efforts," he said.

He highlighted that cases involving new drugs have started to outnumber those related to traditional drugs, with some provinces reporting that new drug cases constitute more than half of all drug-related cases. For instance, in Guangdong province, new drug cases accounted for about 83 percent and 71 percent of all drug cases handled by local courts in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Furthermore, he noted that new drugs often appear in various forms and are disguised as everyday items like chocolates, cookies, beverages, and e-cigarettes, making them easily concealable and deceptive, thus complicating law enforcement and misleading young people.

In response, he emphasized the importance of intensifying efforts against those involved in smuggling, manufacturing, and large-scale trafficking of new drugs, as well as those exploiting minors or using drugs to harm juveniles.

In one case, a defendant surnamed Liao received a harsher sentence and a larger fine for selling narcotic and psychotropic drugs to multiple minors. The punishment is aimed at dismantling the economic foundation for future offenses.

In another case, an individual surnamed Liu was given a lengthy sentence for smuggling narcotic and psychotropic drugs from abroad and selling them domestically on multiple occasions.

Recognizing that a significant portion of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, abuse in the past three years has involved adolescents, Li Xiaoguang, another deputy chief judge from the same division, urged courts nationwide to apply the law strictly and precisely tackle these crimes.

He also called for enhanced antidrug education through initiatives like livestreaming court trials, publishing notable cases, and conducting school programs. "These efforts can reveal the severe harm caused by the abuse of such addictive substances and help young people clearly understand their dangers," Li added.

Given the diverse origins and wide variety of new synthetic drugs, some of which possess both medicinal and toxic properties, it is crucial for various departments to work together seamlessly. "Under the overarching coordination of narcotics control authorities, courts at all levels will strengthen communication and cooperation with departments such as health, drug administration, market regulation, customs, and emergency management to jointly address the governance of new synthetic drugs," Liu Weibo said.