KATHMANDU, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The number of drug abusers has reached 150,000 in Nepal, according to a study carried out by Narconan Nepal, the National News Agency RSS reported on Thursday.

    The number is increasing rapidly, said Basanta Kunwar, founder of the organization that has been running anti-drug abuse programs since the past two years.

    Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, Kunwar said 107,000 of the total number are students.

    The majority are youths and of them 24,000 are women, according to the organization, an organization active against drug abuse in the country.