- 10.
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For drug abusers under the age of 21, the total number of individuals reported is down by 15.6 per cent to 1,452 from 1,721 in the same quarter last year.
Among them, 522 were reported for the first time and 930 were previously reported. These represented a decrease of 37.6 per cent and an increase of 5.2 per cent respectively against the corresponding figures in the same period last year.
The statistics were presented to and discussed by the Action Committee Against Narcotics at its meeting held this afternoon.
Committee members noted that there was an increase in the percentage of female drug abusers of all ages from 9.3 per cent (733) to 11.1 per cent (786) and for those under 21 from 18.9 per cent (326) to 20.7 (301) per cent.
The most common reasons for drug taking attributed by reported abusers under 21 were peer pressure, curiosity, to avoid the discomfort of withdrawal and to relieve boredom/depression/anxiety.
The drugs commonly abused by youngsters remained heroin (74.6 per cent), cannabis (15.8 per cent) and cough medicines (9.3 per cent).
On the treatment front, the second quarter of this year saw an increase of 7.7 per cent to 3,877 in the number of persons admitted to the three main government- funded treatment programmes as compared with the same period last year.
Of them, 1,050 or 27.1 per cent were first-time admissions, representing an increase of 4.8 per cent over the corresponding quarter last year.
The increase in new admissions was highest for the under-21 group in the methadone treatment programme, by 27.5
per cent.
This was followed by the programmes run by the Society for the Aid and Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers, by 19 per cent for those under 21.
A decrease of 2.1 per cent for this age group was however noted for new admissions to Drug Addiction Treatment Centres of the Correctional Services Department.
End/Tuesday, September 26, 1995