Drug abuse is doing more harm to society. Around 49,000 of the registered drug users in China died in 2014. HIV has infected 3.5 percent of heroin users and 1.4 percent of synthetic drug users, according to the data released by the national drug abuse monitoring center.

Cases of suicide, self-mutilation, drug-driving, attacks on police and violent crime resulting from drug use were also observed from time to time, Liu said.

China captures 169,000 drug crime suspects last year

China captured 169,000 drug crime suspects last year, 60 percent of whom were under the age of 35, with nearly 90 percent having failed to finish middle school.

The report on China's drug situation, the first released by the Chinese government, said drug smuggling is rampant and "more and more organized and professional, and carried out in covert and cunning ways through multiple and constantly changing channels."

"While traditional drug trafficking such as concealment in human bodies or cars, and trafficking by road are still prevalent, new methods have emerged, such as trafficking online, by post, by air express and through the logistics system," the report said.

The suspects were from a variety of social groups, including workers, farmers, students and private business owners, but nearly 70 percent were unemployed, mostly from underdeveloped areas.

"Tempted by profits, they are hired or used by drug dealers to engage in trafficking, which not only endangers society, but is also harmful to themselves and their families," the report said.