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PUBLIC ORDER

substances, was published for distribution to the public. A booklet entitled Guide to Drug Abuse Problem was published to provide teachers and anti-drug workers with drug information and to better equip them in helping those who have drug abuse problems. Other publicity materials, including a sticker with the message 'Say No to Drugs', a leaflet on refusal skills and a Parents Guide, were also produced. A comic book, based on real life cases of rehabilitated young people, was also published to target the young population. Apart from poster advertising at Kowloon-Canton Railway stations, anti-drug messages were shown on an electronic display board at the Lo Wu Control Point to warn travellers not to smuggle illegal drugs in and out of Hong Kong.

Anti-drug messages were disseminated through the electronic media in the form of Announcements in the Public Interest. They included a new promotional announcement on drug abuse among young people. Funded by the Beat Drugs Fund and the ACAN, a joint project was organised with Cable TV in which a television series targeting young people was produced. The project comprised an anti-drug programme for children and an inter-school drama competition for primary school students. The broadcasts began in December. The fund also financed the production of an anti-drug film entitled The Final Turn. The film, adapted from real life stories of rehabilitated drug abusers, had its premiere on June 26, to mark the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

In view of the 'rave' culture that has developed among some groups of young people, and its relation to drug abuse, the ACAN and Radio Television Hong Kong co-organised a concert-cum-dance party, the 'Cool Without Drugs' concert, on June 25, at the Hong Kong Coliseum. It aimed to create a new culture for young people to enjoy music and dancing without taking drugs, and to advocate a healthy lifestyle. About 7000 young people participated and enjoyed 'para para' dancing (a newly popular form of dancing that combines easy exercise and exhilarating rhythm).

An essay writing competition for secondary schools, co-organised with a newspaper, the Ming Pao, was launched in September as a lead-in programme to an Anti-drug Youth Forum which formed part of the Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau Conference on Policy to Tackle Drug Abuse and Trafficking, held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in November. A set of materials produced for the conference included a poster, a brochure, a collection of conference papers, an anti-drug booklet and a booklet containing winning entries in the essay writing competition. A web site was set up to publicise the conference and the Youth Forum, and there was also a 'chat room' to collect views from young people on ways to enhance their participation in anti-drug education and on publicity programmes directed at them. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Drug InfoCentre (DIC) has become a focal point for drug education and community involvement activities in the anti-drug cause. Phase I of the DIC comprises a library, a multi-purpose room and a meeting room for volunteers. Since its opening in June 2000, a total of 100 drug talks, seminars, conferences, workshops and visits have been conducted at the DIC for students, teachers, social workers, youth groups and professionals in the anti-drug field. About 7 000 visitors made use of the library facilities.

The ground-breaking ceremony for the DIC Phase II was held on June 18. This phase consists of the first-ever permanent exhibition hall dedicated to drug education in Hong Kong and will complement the first phase in providing a one-stop resource centre on anti-drug education. The 900-square-metre exhibition hall will make use of

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