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Newly reported drug abusers drop by 20 per cent
The number of drug abusers reported for the first time to the Govemment's Central Registry of Drug Abuse (CRDA) declined in the fourth quarter of 1994 after rising in the first three quarters of the year, according to quarterly figures released today (Tuesday).
The number of newly reported persons of all ages has dropped by 20.3 per cent to 988 in the fourth quarter of 1994 from 1,240 in the corresponding period in 1993, following increases of 15.2 per cent, 20.8 per cent and 9.3 per cent in the preceding three quarters.
Within the figure, the number of newly reported young drug abusers under 21 has decreased from 653 in the fourth quarter of 1993 to 513 in the same period of 1994, representing a decrease of 21.4 per cent. As for newly reported drug abusers aged 21 or above, the number has dropped by 19.1 per cent to 475 as compared with 587 in the same period in 1993.
The statistics, compiled by the CRDA, were given to members of the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) at its meeting held this afternoon.
Members were told that the whole year figure of all drug abusers reported to CRDA increased by 13.3 per cent to 20,046 and the new cases by 13.5 per cent to 4,863.
This showed a slacker growth when compared with the corresponding changes for 1993 over 1992, which were 16.3 per cent and 44.1 per cent respectively.
The number of drug abusers aged under 16 recorded a sharp rise of 47 per cent from 584 reported in the whole year of 1993 to 858 in 1994, leading to a slight decrease in the average age of all drug abusers reported, from 34.7 in 1993 to 34.4 in 1994.
Among drugs commonly abused in Hong Kong, heroin (93.5 per cent), cannabis (5.8 per cent) and cough medicine (2.9 per cent) remained the major types of drug abused by addicts of all ages.
In the fourth quarter of 1994, a total of 4,763 persons were admitted to the three major publicly-funded treatment programmes, run by the Society for the Aid and Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers (SARDA), the Department of Health and the Correctional Services Department.