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Members of the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) have welcomed the setting up of a task force, led by the Secretary for Justice, to spearhead the Government's efforts to tackle youth drug abuse. They expressed their views at the quarterly meeting today (October 17) after being briefed on the composition and terms of reference of the task force.
The task force will review the current measures, spearhead cross-bureau and inter-department efforts, and enhance collaboration among non-government organisations, stakeholders and the community. The initiatives to be considered by the task force span the current five prongs - preventive education and publicity, treatment and rehabilitation, law enforcement, research and external co-operation.
ACAN Chairman Dr Choi Yuen-wan said members were pleased to learn that the Government was determined to halt the upward trend in drug abuse among youth in recent years in a concerted and holistic manner.
"Although our anti-drug efforts have effectively reduced the total number of drug abusers in the past 10 years, the steady increase in the number of young abusers indicates the need for a new approach to deal with the problem," Dr Choi said.
He said ACAN members, who came from various sectors of the community, would continue to give their best advice to the Government in the formulation of anti-drug policies. Members will meet the Secretary for Justice soon to exchange views on the issue.
At today's meeting members also reviewed the drug situation in Hong Kong for the first half of 2007. According to the Central Registry of Drug Abuse (CRDA), the total number of reported drug abusers was 8,208, 1.7% higher than that for the same period last year (8,071).
While the number of reported drug abusers aged 21 and over (6,562) was about the same as last year, the number of young drug abusers under 21 was 10.7% higher (from 1,487 to 1,646).
The proportion of reported young abusers under 21 was 20.1% in the first half of 2007, higher than that for the same period of 2006 (18.4%).
Heroin remained the most popular type of drug abused but the number of reported abusers was 8.1% lower than that for the same period last year.
Ketamine remained the most common type of psychotropic substance abused. The number of reported ketamine abusers was 37.1% higher (from 1,568 to 2,150) and 60.5% of the abusers were under 21.
The number of newly reported persons was 19.6% higher (from 1,651 to 1,974), while the number of previously reported persons was 2.9% lower.
The Commissioner for Narcotics, Ms Sally Wong, said the statistics of the first half of this year showed that the youth drug abuse problem remained a concern that the Administration was determined to tackle without delay.
"The task force will liaise closely with ACAN and the relevant sectors to collect views and ideas through the existing fight crime and anti-drug networks. The Administration will enhance inter-departmental efforts and partnership with the stakeholders in this battle against drugs", Ms Wong said.
Members noted the release today of the CRDA 56th report, which is available on the website of the Narcotics Division (http://www.nd.gov.hk/56_report.htm).
Ends/Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:19
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