16
Public Order
Drug Abuse Statistics and Trends
The Central Registry of Drug Abuse compiles drug abuser statistics from a network of reporting agencies, including law enforcement agencies, treatment and welfare agencies, tertiary institutions, hospitals and clinics.
The registry recorded 8,077 drug abusers in 2016, of which 24 per cent were new cases and 6 per cent were aged under 21. Heroin continued to be the most commonly abused drug in Hong Kong, afflicting 50 per cent of drug abusers. Psychotropic substances were abused by 64 per cent of drug abusers and by 97 per cent of abusers under the age of 21. Commonly abused psychotropic substances included Ice (30 per cent), ketamine (15 per cent) and triazolam/ midazolam/zopiclone (12 per cent). In 2016, 25 per cent of abusers abused more than one drug. The drug history of newly reported abusers remained high. Half of them had abused drugs for at least 4.6 years, compared with 5.9 years in 2015.
External Cooperation
Hong Kong works closely with its Mainland and international counterparts in combating drug abuse and trafficking, and takes part in related international and regional meetings. Three international conventions that provide a treaty-based framework for international cooperation to address the drug problem apply to Hong Kong: the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs as amended by the 1972 Protocol, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances and the 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
In March 2016, representatives from the Narcotics Division, the police and the Customs and Excise, Health and Social Welfare departments joined the Chinese delegation to attend the 59th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs held in Vienna. The following month, representatives from the Narcotics Division also joined the Chinese delegation in attending the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the World Drug Problem held in New York.
Research
Drug-related research help the government formulate anti-drug strategies and programmes. In 2016, the findings of a 2014-15 survey of drug use among students at upper primary to post- secondary levels were released. Two drug-related research projects were completed and eight others were ongoing.
Beat Drugs Fund
With a capital base of $3.35 billion, the fund supports community efforts in combating drug abuse by financing worthwhile community projects, helping treatment and rehabilitation centres to meet statutory licensing requirements and supporting schools in implementing the Healthy School Programme with a Drug Testing Component. In 2016, the fund approved about $115 million to support 56 projects and programmes.
The fund is conducting its latest Anti-drug Community Awareness Building programme, spanning the period 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2018, through the 18 District Fight Crime
272