Across Mon areas, community members say drug use, particularly kratom leaf tea, has become increasingly normalized at donation ceremonies and social events, raising concern about its impact on young people’s education and future.
As drugs become more easily accessible in Mon areas, IMNA collected the views of residents and community members who are worried about the growing risks to youth and education.
A Ye Township woman said:
“It’s worrying for children these days. Where we are, some start as young as seven or eight. It usually starts with kratom leaf tea, and from there other drugs follow. Sometimes students skip school to use drugs outside, and some learn about it because older friends encourage them. Once a child drops out of school and starts hanging around with friends who use drugs, they often get hooked after just trying it once.
After using, some groups of friends have also become bolder about engaging in sexual activity together. Authorities haven’t taken action against sellers because they’re profiting from taxes on the trade. They only arrest users, which has allowed the sale and trafficking of WY tablets to spread even further. Recently, even women have become involved, both as sellers and in transporting the drugs.”
A young man from a Mon community organization in Kyainseikgyi said:
“The level of concern has grown. Almost all young people in Mon areas have had some contact with drugs. This could seriously affect the future of our youth as a community resource. Many drug users turn to it out of boredom or depression, but many others start simply because they have free time and get drawn in while socializing.
These days, at donation ceremonies and celebrations, hosts commonly serve kratom leaf, known locally by its Mon term, as a form of hospitality. Because people see this kind of use as normal within the community, children end up using it freely too. If this continues, it will hold back not just our youth as a resource for future community involvement, but also our region’s development and education overall.”
A young man from Kyaikmaraw Township said:
“These days, drinking alcohol like beer has become less common. People say using ‘horse medicine’ or kratom leaf clears the head and makes it easier to sit still and relax. But once someone tries it, they can get hooked to the point where they can’t quit. In practice, many people use it out of loneliness, not necessarily because of a specific feeling, but as something to enjoy socially with friends at gatherings.
For those who use kratom leaf regularly, it also tends to create distance from social life. This does a lot of damage to both their future prospects and their education.”
A young man from Ye Township said:
“Among young people today, drugs have become an extremely serious concern. It’s not just young people, either. Adults are affected the same way. For young people who fall victim to drugs, their brain function is affected, which can also harm their path forward in life.
Some use drugs because of emotional distress, including what we’d call depression. Another factor is peer pressure. Many young people want to fit in and be accepted by a group, so they end up copying what that group does, especially teenagers, who are naturally curious. In Mon culture, drinking kratom leaf tea openly at donation ceremonies is something our community shouldn’t allow to become normalized.”
A young Mon person from Kyaikmaraw Township said:
“Parents try to protect their 15-year-old children from drugs by sending them to school in town, but even there, drugs are easy to get. Drug use isn’t only happening in places meant for relaxation.
Whether it’s the government, ethnic organizations, or revolutionary groups, if they can support not just development projects but also education and vocational training, it would help keep young people from losing their way. If we don’t want drug use to become normalized as part of our culture, we need to find some way to stop it.”
