ENG-2006 — Page 388

320 Public Order

Ltd, two radio programmes were broadcast during the period between December 2006 and March 2007 to give parents a better understanding of the drug problem so that they may communicate more effectively with their children.

A television docu-drama series entitled Anti-Drug Files jointly produced with RTHK was broadcast in July to increase public awareness of drug issues, including those occurring on the other side of the boundary. Eighteen NGO projects were funded under the Sponsorship Scheme on Anti-Cross-boundary Drug Abuse.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Drug InfoCentre continued to serve as a platform for promoting anti-drug messages. During the year, about 28 200 visitors, comprising 15 900 students, 3 200 members of youth groups, community organisations, and rehabilitation centres,

centres, 300 principals, teachers and school social workers, 1 000 group and 7 800 walk-in visitors, made use of the centre.

Two new TV and radio Announcements in the Public Interest (APIs) were launched during the Christmas and New Year holidays to remind young people of the detrimental effects of abusing ketamine and ecstasy, the two drugs commonly used by young people. Posters were put up in public places and advertisements were carried on buses to drive home the message that ketamine and ecstasy damage the brain. The warning was also conveyed through the Short Messaging System (SMS) to young mobile phone users. Anti-drug TV APIs were broadcast on Kowloon-Canton Railway trains, buses and the ND website www.nd.gov.hk to reach a wider population.

Drug Abuse, Statistics and Trends

The statistics compiled on drug abuse trends are based on the Central Registry of Drug Abuse. The registry collates information on drug abusers through a wide network of reporting agencies, including law enforcement departments, treatment and welfare agencies, tertiary institutions, hospitals and clinics.

In 2006, a total of 13 204 drug abusers were recorded in the registry. Of these, 26 per cent were new cases, 19 per cent were aged under 21, and 81 per cent were males. Heroin remained the most commonly abused drug in Hong Kong, with 62 per cent of drug abusers in the registry being heroin abusers. The number of psychotropic substance abusers has increased noticeably over the years and reached 56 per cent in 2006. Psychotropic substances commonly abused included ketamine (23 per cent), triazolam/midazolam/zopiclone (17 per cent) and ecstasy (12 per cent). About 32 per cent of drug abusers were reported to have abused more than one drug. Some 11 per cent of drug abusers were reported to have taken drugs on the Mainland (mostly in Shenzhen); 38 per cent of drug abusers have taken drugs at home or in their friends' homes only, another 32 per cent at home, friends' homes and other localities (such as recreation area/public garden/public toilet and disco/karaoke), and the remaining 30 per cent at other localities. About 64 cent of young people who abused drugs did it at discos and karaokes.