Number of young drug abusers surges

Drug abuse among young people in Hong Kong increased by 44 percent in 2021, according to figures from the government’s Central Registry of Drug Abuse.

The registry says that the total number of reported drug abusers increased by 4 percent from the year before, to 6,019. That increase was mainly driven by rising numbers of reported drug abusers under the age of 21. Abusers in that age group increased from 607 to 873, accounting for 15 percent of the overall number.

The three most common types of drugs abused overall were heroin, methamphetamine – commonly known as “ice” – and cocaine, while among those under 21, cannabis, cocaine and ketamine were the most common drugs taken.

The number of newly reported drug abusers in 2021 increased by 24 percent to 1,979.

Dr. Donald Li, chairman of the Action Committee Against Narcotics, warned that although drug abuse remained relatively low in Hong Kong compared with the past, communities should be vigilant against rising drug misuse.

He also voiced concern about the impact of Covid-19 on levels of drug abuse.

“The Covid-19 epidemic is changing rapidly and brings stress of various degrees to members of the public,” he said. “However, drug abuse is never a proper way of coping with stress. By taking drugs, one will only get into deep trouble and seriously harm his or her health.

“Under the epidemic, it is all the more necessary to adopt a healthy lifestyle, relieve stress in a healthy manner, and resist the temptation of drugs firmly.”