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Drug abuse among youngsters
Following is a question by the Hon Allen Lee and a reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Peter Lai, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
In view of the fact that drug abuse is now a common phenomenon among youngsters and that the problem of thinner sniffing is becoming increasingly serious, will the Administration inform this Council:
(a) whether consideration has been given to introducing legislation to restrict the sale of thinners to youngsters;
(b) whether consideration has been given to stepping up publicity campaigns in schools against drug abuse; and
(c) what is the number of cases in which youngsters are involved in crimes related to soft drugs in the past year and whether there is an upward trend in such cases?
Reply:
Mr President,
(a) Given the widespread and legitimate industrial, commercial and household uses of thinner and other organic solvents, we have no plans to introduce legislative controls on their sale. The problem of thinner sniffing should best be tackled at source, by preventive education and publicity on the harmful effects of substance abuse.
(b) We have been stepping up preventive education and publicity in schools. The Education Department has taken a series of steps to strengthen drug education in schools. It is conducting a pilot scheme involving 20 secondary schools to develop and implement school-based drug education courses in the 1995/96 school year. Drug education is already integrated into the school curriculum. The Education Department is considering how drug education can be more effectively delivered to students through school subjects at different levels. Drug education will also be incorporated into a new General Studies syllabus to be implemented in primary schools in 1996.