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The Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, said today (July 21) at the Kwun Tong District Fight Crime Committee meeting that the Narcotics Division had commissioned a research organisation to assess the design, implementation and effectiveness of the Trial Scheme on School Drug Testing in Tai Po District. The study is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.
Mr Lee said, "Overall, the trial scheme ran smoothly and was completed successfully this academic year. The Government will consider research recommendations and consult different stakeholders and then decide on the way forward."
Mr Lee said the Government attached great importance to combating youth drug abuse and has allocated substantial resources to expedite anti-drug work with a view to tackling the problem multilaterally.
Mr Lee said, "The Government has allocated resources to strengthen drug treatment and rehabilitation services in recent years. Including the funding set aside this financial year, the number of Counselling Centres for Psychotropic Substance Abusers will be increased from five to 11 in three years. Fifty frontline outreach social workers will be added to help youth drug abusers, bringing the total number to 308.
"To further provide assistance to youth drug abusers who are willing to receive drug treatment services, the Government will invite different parties to make proposals and suggestions on the provision of innovative and diversified residential services this year."
Mr Lee said that in order to combat the youth drug problem, the Government had set aside $52 million in this year's Budget to step up various kinds of anti-drug work.
Mr Lee added, "A $3 billion capital injection into the Beat Drugs Fund was approved by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council in May. The funding will be used to sponsor drug treatment agencies and community and school anti-drug activities to help expand the anti-drug campaign community-wide."
Mr Lee thanked members of the Kwun Tong District Fight Crime Committee at the meeting for their earnest efforts in organising various publicity activities to promote fight crime messages successfully.
Ends/Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:17
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