Drug Abuse and Trafficking


The government aims at effectively enforcing the law,
especially against those involved in the supply and trafficking
of illegal drugs; developing a comprehensive treatment and
rehabilitation programme for drug abusers; discouraging
people, in particular the young, from taking or experimenting
with drugs; and eradicating drug abuse in the community.

Data collected by the government's Central Registry of Drug
Abuse, which were based on 30 000 reports on 17 500
persons, indicated that in 1997, 88 per cent of drug abusers
were male and 12 per cent female, 53 per cent were aged over
30 years, 29 per cent were 21 to 30 years old and 18 per cent
were aged under 21.

The number of young drug abusers reported to the registry
continued to drop in 1997. However, youngsters are still
making up a high proportion of the newly reported cases. Of a
total of 3 500 drug abusers who came to the registry's notice
for the first time in 1997, 79 per cent were male, 21 per cent
were female and 44 per cent were under the age of 21.

Heroin remained the predominant drug of abuse in Hong Kong,
and was used by 87 per cent of those persons reported to the
registry. Other common drugs of abuse included cannabis,
cough medicine, methylamphetamine ('ice') and various
psychotropic substances.

 

Overall Strategy and Co-ordination
Legislation and Law Enforcement
Treatment and Rehabilitation
Preventive Education and Publicity
Research
International Action
The Beat Drugs Fund