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Over 1,300 youths and people from the community attended a large-scale anti-drug publicity event held at Sha Tin Racecourse this afternoon (June 22) to demonstrate their collective commitment to fighting drugs, raising the curtain on this year's territory-wide campaign against youth drug abuse.
The anti-drug event, jointly organised by the Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau and the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN), served to tie in with the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26 and to rally the community's support for the anti-drug cause.
The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, officiated at the launch ceremony of the event. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Tsang said fighting drug abuse was one of the major issues of concern during his term of office. He reiterated the Government's determination to build a drug-free community.
Mr Tsang said that following the setting up of a task force led by the Secretary for Justice to tackle the youth drug abuse problem in 2007, he personally led a high-level inter-departmental working group in 2009 and set out five directions, namely community mobilisation, community support, drug testing, treatment and law enforcement, to combat youth drug abuse.
On community mobilisation and community support, he said that the Government had launched territory-wide campaigns against youth drug abuse under the themes "Not Now, Not Ever" and "Stand Firm! Knock Drugs Out", and in 2010, injected $3 billion into the Beat Drugs Fund to enhance support for the anti-drug work. On drug testing, the Trial Scheme on School Drug Testing in Tai Po District had been completed smoothly. The Government was encouraging schools to implement the Healthy School Programme with a voluntary drug testing component, with a view to further fostering a drug-free culture on campus.
Mr Tsang said that the Government had also allocated additional resources in various aspects in the past few years to ensure that more efficient and effective drug treatment and rehabilitation services could be provided for those in need. On legislation and law enforcement, he noted that the Hong Kong Police Force and the Customs and Excise Department had successfully smashed several transnational drug trafficking syndicates and stopped the influx of illicit drugs into Hong Kong. In addition, the Administration had all along been monitoring and assessing the drug trend to ensure that relevant legislation could curb the inflow of new drugs into Hong Kong.
Mr Tsang said, "With concerted efforts by different sectors of the community, the anti-drug work has yielded good results."
According to the figures of the Central Registry of Drug Abuse, the total number of reported drug abusers during the three years from 2009 to 2011 dropped by 18 per cent, while the number of reported young drug abusers under 21 recorded a significant drop of 41 per cent.
Mr Tsang stressed that despite a gradual improvement in the local drug situation, there was a growing trend of hidden drug abuse which should not be treated lightly. The Government would continue its multi-pronged efforts to tackle the problem. Apart from stepping up law enforcement, the Government would further promote collaborative community efforts and step up anti-drug education programmes.
He said, "We endeavour to raise the public's awareness of the hidden drug problem of young drug abusers taking drugs at home or at friends' gatherings, and encourage parents and neighbours to play an active role in drug prevention and provide early assistance to drug abusers."
Mr Tsang thanked different sectors of the community for their continuous support for the anti-drug cause and called upon them to sustain their anti-drug efforts and promote "saying 'No' to drugs".
Various organisations and persons supported the event today. They included Hong Kong Youth Magic; Singer Jonathan Wong; the marching band of Carmel Bunnan Tong Memorial Secondary School; the North District Youth Outreaching Social Work Team of Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong; music duo FAMA; the Detector Dog Division of the Customs and Excise Department and Hong Kong Wushu Union.
Two new TV Announcements in the Public Interest (APIs) were premiered at the event. The Government has produced the two APIs with the objectives of reminding hidden drug abusers to seek help early and encouraging members of the public, in particular parents and neighbours, to play an active role in drug prevention, early intervention and assistance. In parallel, the Government has enhanced the anti-drug telephone enquiry service 186 186, through which youths, parents and members of the public can acquire anti-drug information or seek professional help.
After the event today, a series of preventive education and publicity activities will be launched. Apart from the release of the new radio and TV APIs, anti-drug advertisements will be broadcast and placed in the public transportation network. Large outdoor banners will also be mounted at various government premises to promote anti-drug messages.
During the summer holidays, anti-drug advertisements at upstairs bars and karaoke establishments will be stepped up. The Government will also make good use of the Internet and the social media platform, which are very popular among youths, to disseminate anti-drug messages. A new anti-drug interactive drama series will also be launched.
Other officiating guests at today's event included the Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee; the ACAN Chairman, Professor Daniel Shek; the Commissioner for Narcotics, Mrs Erika Hui; the Chairman of the ACAN Sub-committee on Preventive Education and Publicity, Ms Scarlett Pong; the Chairman of the ACAN Sub-committee on Treatment and Rehabilitation, Dr Ben Cheung and the Convenor of Research Advisory Group, Professor Cheung Yuet-wah.
Ends/Friday, June 22, 2012
Issued at HKT 19:01
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