Alcohol addiction, drug addiction, gambling addiction, and Internet addiction are called the four major addictions. Unfortunately, the rate of the four major addictions in Korea is high compared to other countries. According to related statistics, the alcohol use disorder rate in Korea is 13.9% and the gambling addiction rate is 5.3%, much higher than in other countries.
In a survey conducted in Canada, Korea's smartphone dependence rate ranked 5th among the 24 countries that participated in the survey, and Korea was classified with severe smartphone addiction.
The number of drug users is also steadily increasing. In recent years, the types of addiction have become increasingly diverse, and with the development of digital technology, dependence on digital devices is increasing, so the addiction problem is expected to become more serious in the future. In a recent survey, MZ generation social workers also predicted that addiction would become more prominent as a social problem in the future.
The problem of addiction is also expanding among youth. The current drinking rate for those who have consumed alcohol in the past month remains at the 16% level, the current smoking rate has been decreasing but has been increasing since 2016, and the smartphone overdependence rate is at 30%. The rate of youth with gambling problems is around 5%, which is higher than in other countries. According to data from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, among all drug offenders in 2021, the number of people reported under the age of 19 was 450, an increase of 43.8% compared to the previous year (313 people).
Addiction problems cause various social problems not only to individuals addicted to substances or behaviors, but also to families and society. It causes problems in all areas of society— family problems, divorce, child abuse, depression suicide, physical illness, unemployment, accidents and deaths, increased medical expenses, etc. According to government data, the annual socioeconomic cost of the four major addictions is 109.5 trillion won, which is much larger than the socioeconomic cost of other diseases. such as cancer (about 12 trillion won). Considering that Korea's 2022 budget is 600 trillion won, the socioeconomic costs of the four major addictions are very large.
Although the addiction problem in our society is serious and the harmful effects of addiction are enormous, the efforts made to train addiction experts have been minimal. Addiction is a problem that arises from the interaction of various factors, including biological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors. Addiction experts must have comprehensive, specialized, and integrated knowledge and skills regarding addiction, including the complex reasons why people become addicted to substances and behaviors, various approaches to prevent and solve addiction problems, and the development of addiction policies. However, currently, only a small number of universities are operating related departments, which is insufficient to train addiction experts. It is time for universities to actively develop systematic and professional educational programs on addictions and nurture professionals in the field.
In addition, the state's responsibility for training addiction experts needs to be strengthened. Just as the Mental Health Welfare Act grants qualifications as mental health professionals to personnel with specialized knowledge and skills in the mental health field, it is necessary to introduce a national qualification system in the field of addiction. Although addiction is a category within the mental health field, it is a field that requires unique expertise and intervention techniques.
If the country establishes qualification standards for addiction specialists and grants national certification to individuals who meet these standards, it will not only increase interest in addiction but also greatly contribute to enhancing the expertise of addiction specialists. We hope that the country will recognize the seriousness of the addiction problem prevalent in our society and strive to establish a system to train professionals who can contribute to the prevention and solution of the problem.
