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The Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, has called on all sectors of the community to join the battle against drugs.
Speaking today (March 8) at the 2009 North District Fight Crime, Anti-Drug and Rehabilitation Carnival organised by the North District Fight Crime Committee (DFCC), Mr Lee said: "The problem of youth drug abuse is a territory-wide one. It is not a problem unique to certain districts, nor is it restricted to individual schools. We have to mobilise the whole community to work together to tackle the problem."
Mr Lee said the inter-departmental working group led by the Commissioner for Narcotics had stepped up its efforts in implementing the 70-odd recommendations set out by the Task Force on Youth Drug Abuse led by the Secretary for Justice. Recommendations implemented so far included the launch of the Territory-wide Campaign Against Youth Drug Abuse, "No drugs No Regrets. Not Now Not Ever"; improvement in the detection capability of the Police and Hong Kong Customs; the setting up of two additional counselling centres for psychotropic substance abusers (CCPSAs), and two additional Substance Abuse Clinics.
In the recently released Budget, the Government reserved resources for a pilot project on an enhanced probation service in magistracies for young drug offenders, to better help young drug abusers who have fallen foul of the criminal justice system. Medical support including voluntary drug tests will be provided in the CCPSAs to make the drug treatment service more comprehensive.
"The cross-boundary drug abuse and trafficking situation involving youths is worrying. Among the number of young drug abusers reported in the first three quarters of 2008, 13.3% of them took drugs on the Mainland. There is an 80% increase in the number of young cross-boundary drug traffickers compared with that of last year," Mr Lee said.
To curb the rising trend, Mr Lee said, the Government and the Shenzhen authorities had reached an understanding on repatriating Hong Kong young drug abusers arrested and administratively detained in Shenzhen. They would be handed over to the Hong Kong Police for follow-up action.
"We hope that through such an arrangement, the youths' parents can be notified as early as possible, helping them to seek appropriate rehabilitative services, which will help the young abusers quit drugs," Mr Lee said.
"At a district level, the Police and the Education Bureau, Social Welfare Department and concerned organisations will enhance their collaboration to further crack down on any drug-related activities in schools or involving students. Police will step up patrols of entertainment premises, amusement game centres and Internet cafes to deter drug abuse in these premises."
Mr Lee commended the efforts of the North DFCC in disseminating anti-drug messages in the district. To tie in with the Territory-wide Campaign against Youth Drug Abuse, "No Drugs No Regrets, Not Now Not Ever", the North DFCC trained 50 primary school students to be"Sunshine Angels" to help promote anti-drug messages. A number of school talks, workshops for parents and various kinds of competitions were organised, targeting parents and students.
Mr Lee thanked members of the North DFCC for their enthusiastic participation in promoting anti-crime messages and in combating crime. He also encouraged the North DFCC to continue with its effective work to build a healthy, drug-free and peaceful environment for youths and residents.
Ends/Sunday, March 8, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:55
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