*********************************************************
Dozens of contestants of the "Anti-drug Heroes" design competition today (November 7) attended the competition’s second sharing session, seeking inspiration in an exchange of views with representatives of various anti-drug sectors.
The "Anti-drug Heroes" design competition, co-organised by the Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau, the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN), Yahoo! Hong Kong and the Hongkong Federation of Youth Groups, has entered its second phase. Each contestant was required to design apparel for the five winning "Anti-drug Heroes" in the first phase.
The sharing session was held at the Hong Kong Jockey Club Drug InfoCentre. Member of the ACAN Sub-committee on Preventive Education and Publicity, Mr Teddy Tang Chun-keung, told contestants what he thought about the competition.
He said,"This is not only a competition on creativity and arts. Your active participation shows the community is of one mind in the fight against drugs. Together we are forging a drug free culture."
Member of the Steering Committee for Wong Tai Sin Alliance Against Drug Abuse and Consultant i/c (Surgery) of Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital, Dr Au Yiu-kai, talked about the dire consequences of abusing different types of psychotropic substances. He also cited some cases he had encountered in the hospital, which vividly showed the permanent damage drugs did to the body.
Senior Inspector of Narcotics Bureau of Hong Kong Police Force, Mr Joe Leung, dispelled some common misunderstandings about drug-related offences and the corresponding criminal liability.
"A lot of people mistakenly think that drug trafficking refers only to the sale of drug for profit. Actually, offering drugs to your friend free of charge is also drug trafficking. Hong Kong Police adopt a zero tolerance to possession of drugs, even if it is a minimal quantity."
Renowned multi-media designer, Miss Montagut Chuen, shared her experience in creativity. She also shared a story of a friend who wrongly believed that drugs could enhance creativity and how drugs ruined her career. She reminded the young people in the sharing session that they could have great ideas without drugs.
Officers from Customs Detector Dog Division demonstrated how their detector dogs searched for drugs.
To join or know more about the competition, please visit the competition website (www.mural.com.hk).
The design competition, with three phases, runs for a year and has a school category and an open category. The design theme of each phase is "Anti-drug heroes", "Apparel of the Anti-drug heroes" and "Weapons to combat drugs of the Anti-drug heroes". Besides submitting the artwork, participants also have to describe the ideas behind their designs in words. They can upload their designs onto the competition website or use the art tools on the website to design their work. A designer will incorporate designs with the top votes into a mural containing anti-drug messages. About 120 youngsters will paint the mural.
Ends/Saturday, November 7, 2009
Issued at HKT 14:50
NNNN