ENG-1996 — Page 220

HEALTH

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abusers; to dissuade people, in particular the young, from experimenting with drugs; and to eradicate drug abuse from the community.

Data collected by the government's Central Registry of Drug Abuse in 1996, based on 36 000 reports on 20 000 persons, indicated that 88 per cent of drug abusers were male and 12 per cent female, 54 per cent were aged over 30 years, 28 per cent were 21 to 30 years old and 18 per cent were aged under 21.

Heroin is the predominant drug of abuse in Hong Kong, and was used by 87 per cent of the persons reported to the registry. Other common drugs of abuse included cannabis, cough medicine and various psychotropic substances.

A total of 4 500 drug abusers came to registry's notice for the first time in 1996. Of the new cases, 80 per cent were male, 20 per cent were female and 46 per cent were people below the age of 21.

Overall Strategy and Co-ordination

The government adopts a five-pronged approach in combating drug trafficking and abuse law enforcement, preventive education and publicity, treatment and rehabilitation, research and international co-operation.

Effective law enforcement curtails illicit drug supply and induces drug abusers to seek treatment voluntarily. It also brings compulsory treatment to many who cannot otherwise be persuaded to seek help. Comprehensive treatment services are provided to meet the different needs of drug abusers from varying backgrounds.

Preventive education and publicity are organised on a territory-wide basis and at the local level to heighten public awareness of the drug problem and to encourage people to adopt a drug-free lifestyle. Research studies are conducted on various aspects of the drug abuse problem and the findings facilitate the planning of suitable anti-drug strategies and programmes. Co-operation at the international level, through exchange of information and experience and joint action against illicit trafficking, enhances the effectiveness of efforts in all these areas.

These anti-drug efforts are co-ordinated by the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN), a non-statutory body which has non-official and government members. It is the government's advisory body on all anti-drug policies and activities and is serviced by the Narcotics Division of the Government Secretariat, which is headed by the Commissioner for Narcotics.

Governor's Summit Meeting on Drugs

In May 1996, the Governor chaired the second Drugs Summit to review progress made on the Beat Drugs campaign launched in March 1995, and to explore what new initiatives were needed to further strengthen the campaign. It brought together 270 participants from a wide cross-section of the community who are concerned with anti-drug work. The Governor further boosted the Beat Drugs campaign and announced a new 32-point Forward Action Plan to tackle the drug problem. A special action group under ACAN considered proposals put forward and submitted its report to the Governor in September 1996. Its recommendations were subsequently followed up with progress reports published regularly.