The Health Sector Policy Committee (KKSK), during its second quarterly meeting in Jakarta on Thursday (9/7/2026), emphasized the urgency of inter-agency collaboration in addressing threats to adolescent mental health. Minister of Population and Family Development, Wihaji, highlighted that mental health issues, which are often overlooked, have now become a major factor triggering the risk of substance abuse among the younger generation.
Data from BPOM recorded 2,206 findings of the distribution of Certain Drugs (OOT) from 2025 to May 2026. This figure serves as a loud alarm for the government, considering that one in seven adolescents aged 10–19 is currently recorded as having mental health problems. This condition is triggered by various factors, ranging from the unstoppable flow of information to easy, irrational access to medicines.
As a mitigation effort, the government is pushing to strengthen family resilience as the front line of defense. Minister Wihaji emphasized that families must be more sensitive to behavioral changes in their family members before these problems have a wider impact. Massive education has also begun targeting educational institutions, as seen in the educational campaign at SMAN 70 Jakarta involving thousands of students.
Echoing this sentiment, BPOM stated that conventional supervision, such as cyber patrols and law enforcement, will not be sufficient without being accompanied by a massive social movement. Deputy for Control of Narcotics, Psychotropics, Precursors, and Addictive Substances at BPOM, William Adi Teja, stressed the importance of synergy between law enforcement, health workers, the education sector, and the community to reduce the demand for illicit drugs through continuous education.
The KKSK meeting was also attended by the Minister of Health, the head of BPJS Kesehatan, and representatives from the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas. All stakeholders committed to integrating policies that are not only repressive toward drug distribution but also preventive through strengthening mental health literacy from an early age in society.
