ENG-2005 — Page 395

Public Order | 341

enabled drug abuse data to be collated and analysed more efficiently. Electronic data submission and online statistics enquiry functions were made available on the Narcotics Division webpage. To further improve the coverage of the registry, the number of reporting agencies was also expanded from 34 to 67 with effect from May.

In 2005, 14 087 drug abusers were reported to the registry. Of these, 26 per cent were newly reported cases, 16 per cent were aged under 21, and 81 per cent were males. Heroin remained the most commonly abused drug in Hong Kong, with 70 per cent of drug abusers reported to the registry being heroin abusers. The proportion of psychotropic substance abusers has increased noticeably over the years, rising from 37 per cent in 2001 to 45 per cent in 2005. In 2005, psychotropic substances commonly abused included ketamine (15 per cent), triazolam/ midazolam/zopiclone (15 per cent), ecstasy (12 per cent) and cannabis (8 per cent). About 29 per cent of drug abusers were reported to have abused more than one drug.

Research

Findings from drug-related research studies provide useful reference materials to facilitate the Government's formulation of anti-drug strategies and programmes. During the year, two studies carried forward from previous years. - one on cognitive impairment and other harmful effects caused by ketamine abuse and the other a 2004 survey of drug use among students were completed during the year.

The ketamine study provided solid evidence of the drug's harmful effects which included dependence potential, neurocognitive impairment and psychiatric morbidity. The 2004 survey of students concluded that very few secondary level students either took drugs or were exposed to drugs in Hong Kong. There had also been a significant drop in the number of drug-taking students. The proportion of students who had ever abused heroin decreased from 2.6 per cent in 2000 to 1.6 per cent in 2004, while the proportion abusing psychotropic substances fell from 4.1 per cent to 2.7 per cent. The study found that there were significant differences between drug-taking and non-drug-taking students as regards their relationship with family members, attitudes towards drug abuse and self-perception.

There were also two ongoing studies, one focused on the harmful effects of cough mixture abuse and the other on the drug abuse situation among ethnic minorities, which were carried over from the previous year.

International Action and Regional Cooperation

The Government continued to participate actively in international forums against drug abuse, drug trafficking and money laundering. Apart from fulfilling its obligations under the three major United Nations conventions concerning narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, it also maintains close links with the UN, the World Health Organisation, the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol), the World Customs Organisation and other governments, to ensure that Hong Kong's anti-drug and anti-money laundering work remains in step with current international standards and requirements.