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Public Order

messages are disseminated through talks, training workshops, experience-sharing sessions and other activities for different target groups.

The 'Healthy School Programme with a Drug Testing Component' is a school-based initiative to strengthen students' resolve in refusing drugs and to foster a drug-free campus. In the 2020-21 school year, 182 secondary schools, partnered with NGOs, were implementing the programme. Another school-based programme, 'Participate in Sports, Stay Away from Drugs, is a student-led initiative that promotes a healthy lifestyle and an anti-drug culture in secondary schools through students' participation in sports and health activities. There were 100 participating secondary schools in 2020-21.

Treatment and Rehabilitation

A variety of treatment and rehabilitation services is available to drug abusers with different. treatment needs. The Correctional Services Department conducts a compulsory treatment programme, the Department of Health provides a voluntary outpatient methadone treatment programme, and the Hospital Authority operates substance abuse clinics at all seven hospital clusters. NGOs run voluntary residential programmes in 37 drug treatment and rehabilitation centres, and provide community-based services in 11 counselling centres for psychotropic substance abusers and two centres for drug counselling.

The division oversees and coordinates initiatives in partnership with stakeholders according to strategic directions set out in its Three-year Plan on Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Services in Hong Kong (2018-20) and the latest drug scene. It also consulted stakeholders on the 2021-23 three-year plan.

Legislation and Enforcement

The division and relevant departments monitor the changing drug scene closely and review the laws regularly to address any emerging threat. In 2020, five dangerous drugs (methoxyacetylfentanyl, FUB-AMB, ADB-FUBINACA, CUMYL-4CN-BINACA and ADB-CHMINACA) and three precursor chemicals (APAA, PMK glycidate and PMK glycidic acid) were brought under the control of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance and the Control of Chemicals Ordinance respectively, in line with international control requirements. In 2020, the police and the Customs and Excise Department seized more than 4,600kg of major types of drugs and arrested 3,849 people for drug-related offences.

Drug Abuse Statistics and Trends

The Central Registry of Drug Abuse compiles drug abuser statistics filed by a network of reporting agencies, including law enforcement agencies, treatment and welfare agencies, tertiary institutions, hospitals and clinics.

The registry recorded 5,569 drug abusers in 2020, of whom 26 per cent were new cases, 9 per cent were aged under 21 and 22 per cent abused more than one drug. Heroin continued to be the most commonly abused single drug in Hong Kong, afflicting 51 per cent of drug abusers. Psychotropic substances were abused by 62 per cent of drug abusers and 99 per cent of abusers aged under 21. Commonly abused psychotropic substances included ice (22 per cent), triazolam/midazolam/zopiclone (13 per cent), cannabis (12 per cent) and cocaine (12 per

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