TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 1981
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YOUNG FIGHTERS WANTED FOR BATTLE AGAINST DRUGS
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THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS IS TO INJECT MORE YOUNG FIGHTERS INTO HONG KONG'S ON-GOING BATTLE AGAINST DRUGS BY LAUNCHING ITS YOUTH AGAINST DRUGS SCHEME+,
ANNOUNCING THE SCHEME TODAY (TUESDAY), A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NARCOTICS DIVISION SAID THE AIM OF THE PROJECT IS TO ENCOURAGE AN ACTIVE AND DIRECT YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN ANTI-NARCOTICS WORK THROUGH PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY.
+THE SCHEME, WHICH IS TO BE LAUNCHED FOR THE FIRST TIME BY THE ACAN, IS DESIGNED TO ENABLE YOUNG PEOPLE TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT ANTI-NARCOTICS EDUCATIONAL PUBLICITY PROJECTS IN THEIR OWN WAY, SAID THE SPOKESMAN.
HE EXPLAINED THAT MOST DRUG ADDICTS START EXPERIMENTING WITH DRUGS DURING ADOLESCENCE MAINLY BECAUSE OF CURIOSITY, PEER GROUP PRESSURE AND ESCAPISM FROM FRUSTRATIONS IN LIFE.
+YOUNG PEOPLE ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO THE DANGERS OF DRUG ABUSE AND YOUTH IS THEREFORE THE MOST IMPORTANT TARGET GROUP FOR PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY EFFORTS, HE SAID.
HOWEVER, HE ADDED THAT THE MAJORITY OF ANTI-NARCOTICS PROGRAMMES IN THE PAST WERE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH ONLY PARTICIPATING OPPORTUNITIES.
+TO TAKE ONE STEP FURTHER, HE SAID, THIS SCHEME IS DESIGNED TO INVOLVE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE ACTUAL PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION RIGHT AT THE START.
*WITH THIS NEW APPROACH, IT IS HOPED THAT THE SCHEME WILL ENABLE YOUNG PEOPLE TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF DRUG ABUSE AND AT THE SAME TIME PASS ON THE ANTI-NARCOTICS MESSAGE TO THE YOUNG GENERATION IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE.
THE SCHEME IS NOW OPEN TO ANY YOUTH GROUP COMPRISING AT LEAST 10 OR MORE MEMBERS WHO ARE AT THE AGE OF 15 OR ABOVE. MOREOVER, THE GROUPS SHOULD BE RECOMMENDED BY THEIR SCHOOLS, YOUTH CENTRES, COMMUNITY CENTRES OR EMPLOYERS.
ALL PROJECTS SUBMITTED BY THE GROUPS WILL BE EXAMINED BY A SELECTION BOARD CONSISTING OF BOTH GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES.
ON SELECTION, THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT, THE BOARD WOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE APPLICABILITY, PUBLICITY VALUE, INNOVATION, COST EFFECTIVENESS AND ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE OF EACH PROJECT.
/A SUCCESFUL