*********************************************************
Over 300 parents have embraced the Beat Drugs Workshop for Parents today (August 8) as useful in improving their skills in drug abuse prevention.
The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, sat through the whole workshop to show his support for the beat drugs cause.
He also took part in a dialogue with an ex-abuser and his mother. The teenager, who turned sixteen today, recalled how he had gone astray and the ordeal for his mother.
Mr Tsang was encouraged that the teenager, with the support of his mother and the rehabilitation centre, has quit drugs and started a new life. With the growing problem of youth drug abuse, the Chief Executive appealed to all, in particular parents, to join the fight against drugs.
The workshop in Kowloon Tong Education Services Centre, with member of the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN), Ms Amy Blanche Tang Oi-lam, as the master of ceremony, was unveiled by a demonstration of a drugs search performed by a detector dog. Then came a session of "Dr Tsang and You". Member of the ACAN Sub-committee on Preventive Education and Publicity, Dr David Tsang Fan-kwong, and a social worker from the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals CROSS Centre, listed questions on drugs in which most parents had misconceptions. The parents gave instant answers and Dr Tsang dispelled their misconceptions.
The anti-drug interactive drama, performed by Theatre 6, was aimed at bringing out the message that a lack of communication between parents and children and broken family relationships might result in the children going astray and falling prey to drugs.
In the final session, hosted by Head of the Department of Social Work and Social Administration of the University of Hong Kong, Dr Sandra Tsang; the Winner of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons 2008, Mr Kuen Ping-yiu; and celebrities Mr Liu Kai-chi and Ms Chan Mun-yee, two youngsters were invited to share their views on parenting and their ways to resist drugs. The hosts also discussed parenting skills with the audience and how to prevent and handle their children's drug abuse problem. Parents were eager to join the session and shared their own experiences.
The hosts, Mr Liu Kai-chi and Ms Chan Mun-yee, gave their views on building good communication with children and how to master a balance between love and teaching children. Dr Sandra Tsang introduced parents a few modern ways to express their care. Mr Kuen Ping-yiu, meanwhile, recalled his agony in taking drugs and the difficulties he faced during his treatment and rehabilitation programme.
Footage archive of the workshop will be available at (www.nd.gov.hk).
Ends/Saturday, August 8, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:27
NNNN
Windows Media format
Real Media format