***********************************
The Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) at its quarterly meeting today (December 19) reviewed the local drug situation in the first three quarters of 2014. Members noted that the local drug situation had continued to improve. The total number of reported drug abusers and young drug abusers aged under 21 had decreased significantly compared to the same period in 2013.
According to the latest figures of the Central Registry of Drug Abuse (CRDA), the total number of reported drug abusers in the first three quarters of 2014 decreased by 12 per cent (from 8,450 to 7,472) compared to the same period last year. The number of newly reported drug abusers dropped by 23 per cent (from 1,974 to 1,524).
The decline in the number of young drug abusers was even more noticeable. The number of reported drug abusers aged under 21 and the number of newly reported drug abusers aged under 21 plunged by 39 per cent (from 1,009 to 618) and 40 per cent (from 576 to 345) respectively compared with the same period last year.
The median time of abusing drugs by newly reported abusers (i.e. the time between abusers being discovered by the CRDA reporting agencies and their first drug abuse) had increased from 4.6 years in 2013 to 5.4 years in the first three quarters of 2014.
Members also reviewed other drug-related figures for the first three quarters of 2014 at the meeting.
The number of reported psychotropic substance abusers (4,446) was higher than the number of reported narcotic analgesics abusers (3,925). The numbers of psychotropic substance abusers and those taking narcotic analgesics both fell by 11 per cent.
Among all reported drug abusers, heroin remained the most common type of drug abused. However, there was a decline in the number of reported heroin abusers from 4,402 to 3,924 (11 per cent lower) compared to the same period last year.
Ketamine remained the most common type of psychotropic substance abused. The number of reported ketamine abusers dropped by 24 per cent (from 2,344 to 1,771), of whom 16 per cent were youngsters aged under 21.
The numbers of reported abusers of most of the other types of psychotropic substances recorded decreases: ecstasy (54 per cent lower), cocaine (26 per cent lower), triazolam/midazolam/zopiclone (9 per cent lower) and cough medicine (3 per cent lower). However, the numbers of reported abusers of nimetazepam, methamphetamine ("ice") and cannabis increased by 35, 16 and 12 per cent respectively.
In spite of the continuous improvement in the local drug situation, the ACAN Chairman, Professor Daniel Shek, said that there was an increasing trend of hidden drug abuse. The Administration would continue to enhance publicity and adopt different measures to raise public awareness, especially among parents, of drug problems.
Professor Shek said, "According to the statistics of the CRDA, most of the drug abusers, especially young people, take drugs at home or at friends' homes. In such circumstances, parents play an important role since they are best placed to notice drug problems with their children and encourage their children to seek help. We have strengthened preventive education and publicity, for parents in particular, to facilitate their early identification of high-risk youths and intervention. We also encourage people with drug problems to seek help as early as possible. They can call the 24-hour anti-drug helpline 186 186 or make use of the smartphone applications WhatsApp and WeChat to send messages to 98 186 186 to seek help."
The Commissioner for Narcotics, Mrs Erika Hui, said that the Government would not slacken its anti-drug efforts despite the declining trend in the local drug situation. She said that the Government would continue its five-pronged anti-drug strategy, namely preventive education and publicity, treatment and rehabilitation, legislation and law enforcement, external co-operation and research, to tackle drug problems in a holistic manner.
Noting that there were a number of arrests of young people for drug trafficking recently, Mrs Hui said that the Government would strengthen its efforts in publicity to remind young people that drug trafficking is a serious offence and that they should not be lured into drug trafficking. She also appealed to the general public, especially young people, to remain vigilant and stay away from drugs during the festive seasons.
Ends/Friday, December 19, 2014
Issued at HKT 17:30
NNNN
