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LCQ10: Anti-drug measures of Task Force on Youth Drug Abuse
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    Following is a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, to a question raised by the Hon Cheung Hok-ming in the Legislative Council today (June 4):

Question:

    Recently, a survey report has pointed out that there is a trend of the youngsters in Tuen Mun abusing drugs at a younger age.  The average age at which they first abused drugs had dropped from 16 in 2004 to 15 in 2007, and the youngest first-time drug abuser was as young as 12 years old.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:

(a) the details of the strategies to combat juvenile drug abuse from a holistic perspective, which were consolidated by the Task Force on Youth Drug Abuse led by the Secretary for Justice; and

(b) the details of the existing co-operation initiatives with the mainland authorities to combat cross-boundary drug abuse, and whether it will consider strengthening co-operation and communication with the mainland authorities (including raising the penalties concerned, establishing a notification mechanism under which the mainland authorities will notify the Hong Kong Police of cases of drug abuse by Hong Kong youngsters on the Mainland) for combating cross-boundary drug abuse more effectively and grasping more comprehensive information to facilitate the provision of drug treatment and related support to drug abusers?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a) The Task Force on Youth Drug Abuse (Task Force) led by the Secretary for Justice is spearheading cross bureaux and inter-departmental collaboration against drug abuse, and drawing up strategies covering preventive education and publicity, treatment and rehabilitation, law enforcement, research, and external co-operation.  The Task Force has devised a series of initial measures that can be implemented in the short to medium term, including -

Preventive Education and Publicity
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* launching a territory-wide campaign in June to mobilise the whole community to fight against youth drug abuse;

* equipping principals, teachers, guidance teachers, school social workers and parents with knowledge and skills on anti-drug education, identification of high-risk youth and handling of drug abuse cases;

* strengthening anti-drug preventive education for students;

Treatment and Rehabilitation
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* enhancing the district youth outreaching social work teams and overnight outreaching services;

* setting up two additional Counselling Centres for Psychotropic Substance Abusers;

* strengthening the Police Superintendent's Discretion Scheme by enhancing services of the Juvenile Protection Section of the Police and Community Support Service Scheme of the Social Welfare Department;

* providing more subvented places in drug treatment and rehabilitation centres;

* opening two Substance Abuse Clinics under the Hospital Authority and enhancing the provision of psychiatric medical social services;

* providing training to private medical practitioners, so that they can provide early medical advice, treatment and referral services for patients who have drug abuse problems;

Law Enforcement
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* strengthening the Police School Liaison Programme;

* enhancing intelligence-gathering capabilities of the Police;

* enhancing the detector dog services at the boundary control points; and

Research
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* extending the coverage of the next round of the survey of drug use among students (which will be conducted in the second half of this year) to include students from primary four to post secondary, and conducting future rounds more frequently, at three-year intervals.

    The Task Force will also look into measures to enhance external co-operation in tackling the drug problem, including examining the latest international drug situation, promoting closer linkages and exchanges with our Mainland and overseas counterparts, enhancing co-operation between law enforcement agencies, and sharing experience and ideas on preventive education and treatment and rehabilitation initiatives.

    The ultimate goal of the Task Force is to draw up long-term, sustainable and comprehensive strategies in a holistic manner.  It would continue its deliberations on other and long-term recommendations with a view to summing up its work in a report by October.

(b) The Administration has maintained close liaison with the Mainland authorities on formulating and strengthening strategies and co-operation arrangements to tackle the problems of cross-boundary drug trafficking and drug abuse.

    Hong Kong and Mainland law enforcement agencies exchange information and intelligence on cross-boundary crimes, draw up operational directions and take joint actions on drug related offences.  Law enforcement officers also visit and hold regular meetings with their counterparts to update each other on the latest drug abuse and drug trafficking situation.

    We have agreed with the Shenzhen authorities on a mechanism for handling the return of Hong Kong residents arrested in the Mainland for abusing drugs.  When notified by the Shenzhen authorities, the Police will, where necessary and practicable, assist those Hong Kong residents to return to Hong Kong.  We will liaise with social workers to provide counselling and follow-up services to those who are willing to receive them.

    We have also developed a tripartite co-operation framework with our Guangdong and Macao counterparts to promote exchanges and co-operation in anti-drug efforts among the three places.  Starting from 2001, tripartite conferences or functions to tackle drug abuse and trafficking have been held regularly.  Information is exchanged and experience shared on various fronts covering law enforcement, research, treatment and rehabilitation as well as preventive education.

    Among the initial measures of the Task Force, the detector dog services at the boundary control points will be enhanced, with the aim to strengthen enforcement actions and the deterrent effect on cross-boundary drug abuse, possession and trafficking cases.  Combating cross-boundary drug abuse is also a major publicity initiative in our territory-wide campaign against youth drug abuse to be launched in June.  In the next few months, the Task Force will continue to look into the problem to further combat the menace of drugs, including enhancing liaison with the Mainland authorities and discussing with them further collaborative measures on the basis of the existing co-operative efforts in joint operations, information and intelligence exchanges, and experience sharing.

Ends/Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:37

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