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Public Order

Bureau, the Hong Kong Police Force and the departments of Customs and Excise, Health and Social Welfare. Under a reciprocal appointment arrangement with Singapore, the Director of Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau also sits on the committee. It has two subcommittees: on preventive education and publicity; and on treatment and rehabilitation.

Preventive Education and Publicity

The division's main theme for anti-drug preventive education and publicity in 2015 remained as 'Stand Firm! Knock Drugs Out! Its citywide campaign against youth drug abuse, launched in collaboration with Radio Television Hong Kong, included radio shows featuring young drug rehabilitees, a micro film and a large-scale event at the MacPherson Stadium in Mong Kok. A parental programme to promote parents' awareness of the problem of hidden drug abuse among youth was also organised.

To encourage drug abusers to seek help early and maintain a healthy drug-free life, anti-drug messages were promoted through television and radio Announcements in the Public Interest and advertisements on other media platforms, such as a video-sharing website, mobile sites and online discussion forums.

The division's '186 186' 24-hour hotline and trial instant messaging initiative '98 186 186, manned by professional social workers, provide convenient channels for people with drug problems to seek help early. Cases may be referred to non-governmental organisations for treatment and rehabilitation.

The division also continued to work with the Education Bureau to support schools in conducting drug education programmes for students and to provide professional training for school personnel, equipping them with the drug knowledge and skills to identify and offer early help to at-risk students. New interactive drama education programmes targeting students of primary 3 to 6 were introduced as an additional means to disseminate anti-drug messages.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Drug InfoCentre continued to be a focal point for promoting anti- drug education and programmes. Its visitors included students, youth groups, district bodies, community organisations, an overseas delegation, parent-teacher associations and uniformed groups. Anti-drug messages were also promoted through the centre's web portal.

Drug Testing

The Healthy School Programme with a Drug Testing Component is a school-based preventive education initiative designed to strengthen students' resolve in refusing drugs and to foster a drug-free campus. In the 2015-16 school year, 92 secondary schools, partnered with NGOs, implemented the programme.

The government has also been in talks with stakeholders since the issue of a consultation conclusion report on a RESCUE Drug Testing Scheme. The objective is to identify drug abusers as early as possible so they can receive timely counselling and treatment.

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