Preventive Education and Publicity

Anti-drugs preventive education and publicity programmes in 1997
continued to educate young people that there is no difference between
'hard' and 'soft' drugs in terms of harmful effects; to help them in
developing the life skills to resist drugs; to point out that there are
alternatives to drugs to cope with problems; and to encourage them to
lead a drug-free life. Preventive education and publicity programmes were
also targeted at parents, alerting them to their important role in steering
children away from drugs.

Two new programmes were carried out during the year - the Narcotics
Division's Home Page on the Internet and anti-drugs projects by the
District School Liaison Committees.

The Narcotics Division's Home Page, launched on the World Wide Web in
June 1997 in commemoration of the annual International Day against
Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, brings anti-drugs information right into
the homes and schools of young people, locally and overseas.

The schools' anti-drugs programmes, together with central publicity
efforts, represent a community-wide education and support effort to
convey anti-drugs messages to young people.

During the year, the Narcotics Division's school talk team gave 458 drug
education talks to 81 909 students in 387 primary and secondary schools
and technical institutes. Talks were also organised for parents, members
of youth organisations, and juvenile offenders at the boys' and girls'
homes operated by the Social Welfare Department.

To better equip prospective teachers, in-service teachers and social
workers with the issue of drug abuse, drug education training courses and
seminars were organised for them. The target of training at least one
teacher to handle the drug abuse problem for each secondary school for
local students was achieved. The Education Department held an
international conference in February on drug education in schools.

To strengthen parents' awareness of the drug problem and to encourage
them to steer their children away from drugs, the Education Department
encouraged and subsidised schools and Parent-Teacher Associations to
organise drug education seminars and set up 24-hour hotlines for parents.
The hotlines provided parents with information including advice on how
to handle drug abuse.

The Social Welfare Department organised a roving drama with anti-drugs
themes, with a total of 41 shows attended by 16 000 young people. The
message 'Drug Abuse Ruins Life' was also applied as a post mark on all
mail in the second half of May 1997 and 19 radio shows were held during
the year, reaching out to about 660 000 young people.

The District Fight Crime Committees organised 18 district campaigns
involving the community through activities such as visits, camps,
seminars, carnivals, variety shows, competitions and exhibitions. For the
first time, 48 school-based anti-drugs activities were organised by four
District School Liaison Committees with ACAN funds.

The ACAN Community Against Drugs Scheme continued to provide
encouragement and grants of up to $6,000 to youth groups to plan and
implement anti-drugs education and publicity projects. It financed 14
projects. The ACAN Youth Volunteer Group took part in district
campaigns and organised several community involvement projects,
including an anti-drug abuse hotline card design competition and an
anti-drugs charity walk for the Community Chest in November.

ACAN's Anti-drug Abuse Hotline (2366 8822) continued to provide
information on law enforcement, prevention of drug abuse, treatment and
rehabilitation services and eight types of commonly abused substances.

Members of the public can also obtain information from the 24-hour
automated hotline through facsimile service. It received 54 360 calls
during the year.

 

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