ENG-2012 — Page 333

16

Public Order

Fifty-one per cent took drugs only in their own homes or in friends' homes and 30 per cent at both homes and other places such as recreation areas, public gardens, public toilets and discos or karaoke halls, while the remaining 19 per cent took drugs wherever convenient. Six per cent of drug abusers were reported to have taken drugs in the Mainland, mostly in Shenzhen.

External Co-operation

Hong Kong supports international and Mainland actions against drug abuse and drug trafficking and participates in a number of regional and international meetings and seminars concerned with anti-drug policies, law enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation, and preventive education. Three international anti-drug conventions, which provide a treaty-based framework for international co-operation to address the drug problem, apply to Hong Kong: the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs as amended by the Protocol of 1972, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances and the 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.

In March, representatives from the ND, the Police Force, the C&ED, the DH and the Social Welfare Department took part in the 55th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs held in Vienna as members of the Chinese delegation.

Research

Drug-related research studies assist the Government's formulation of anti-drug strategies and programmes. A survey of drug use among students from upper primary to post-secondary was conducted in the school year 2011-12 and its findings will be available in early 2013. Two new research projects were launched in 2012 and nine existing research projects on various aspects of drug abuse continued.

The Beat Drugs Fund

The Government's 'Beat Drugs Fund' supports community efforts to combat drug abuse. The fund's capital base (increased to $3.35 billion by a capital injection by the Government in 2010) is intended to support worthwhile community anti-drug projects, assist drug treatment and rehabilitation centres (DTRCs) to meet their statutory licensing requirements and to support schools in implementing the Healthy School Programme with a drug testing component.

In 2012, the fund approved about $87 million to support 26 anti-drug projects.

Volunteer Scheme

In 2012, the 'Anti-drug Volunteer Group' comprising 106 companies and institutions and 276 individuals took part in or helped to organise 21 anti-drug community and publicity activities. These included district anti-drug and fight crime carnivals, exhibitions, sports competitions and visits to DTRCS on festive occasions.

Action Against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing

Hong Kong is committed to fighting money laundering and terrorist financing and has a robust system to combat these activities. Hong Kong is a member of the Financial Action Task Force, the international anti-money laundering/counter financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) standard

277