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An anti-drug musical jointly organised by the Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau (ND), the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) and Radio Television Hong Kong Radio 2 (RTHK 2) was held tonight (December 27) at Kowloonbay International Trade & Exhibition Centre. More than a thousand students, parents and members of the community attended the show.
The anti-drug musical is one of the initiatives of the 2013 territory-wide campaign against youth drug abuse and aims to raise community awareness of the drug problem, especially among young people and parents. The musical encourages the participation of young people from the community who are identified through open recruitment, and provides them with training to become the show's performers, acting together with the radio programme host. This enables the youngsters to showcase their talents through participation in the show, enhancing their confidence and determination to stay away from drugs.
The musical features a teenager who becomes addicted to drugs under the influence of his drug-taking father. Not until the death of his father does he realise that abusing drugs cannot help to solve problems. The young man then quits drugs and starts a new life.
Officiating at the opening ceremony, the Under Secretary for Security, Mr John Lee, shared his personal experience with the participants. He encouraged youngsters to rise beyond life's challenges and parents to care more for their children and maintain a good relationship to help them stay away from drugs and maintain a positive outlook on life.
Mr Lee also reminded young people to stay vigilant and stand firm to resist drug temptation during the holidays. He noted that the Government had earlier noticed shops selling suspected dangerous drugs that were attractively packaged as candies. According to the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (Cap 134), it is an offence to engage in trafficking in purported dangerous drugs. He urged the public to stay vigilant and not to breach the law.
RTHK 2 is one of the ND and ACAN's partners in organising the territory-wide campaign against youth drug abuse in 2013. A series of programmes have been rolled out since the launch of the anti-drug event in June. In addition to the anti-drug musical, anti-drug talks, visits to the Hong Kong Jockey Club Drug InfoCentre and radio programmes were also organised.
Other officiating guests at the ceremony today included the Commissioner for Narcotics, Mrs Erika Hui; the Deputy Director of Broadcasting (Developments), Miss Leonia Tai; and ACAN Member Mr Hui Yung-chung.
Ends/Friday, December 27, 2013
Issued at HKT 21:53
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