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Governor announces new drive to beat drugs
The Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, has announced a $30 million package of measures to combat the growing problem of drug abuse by young people.
Mr Patten revealed 26 initiatives covering law enforcement, preventive education, treatment and rehabilitation, and research at the end of Hong Kong's first-ever summit on drugs held at the Loke Yew Hall of Hong Kong University.
The summit drew together about 250 representatives of the community, including members of Legco, District Boards, the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN), voluntary agencies, District Fight Crime Committees, teachers, social workers and parents.
The Governor also announced at the summit the latest statistics which showed a continuing rise in the pattern of drug abuse among young people which has alarmed the community.
The statistics for 1994 showed a 22 per cent increase in the number of young drug abusers reported for the first time in 1994 over 1993. Last year's figure was 2,748. The 1993 figure itself was 57 per cent more than in 1992.
"So the growth rate is still distressingly high," Mr Patten warned.
"A complex challenge confronts us. It cannot be tackled by one section of the community along. It has to be tackled together."
Mr Patten also asked the Chairman of ACAN, Professor Chen Char-nie, and the Commissioner for Narcotics, Mr Alasdair Sinclair, to set up a special action group to follow up all new suggestions made at the summit.
"We have heard some very imaginative and positive ideas put forward by members of the community familiar with this problem and we want to look at them closely," Mr Patten said.
The special action group will submit its recommendations to the Governor in three months.