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Youth Drug Abuse

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Youth Drug Abuse in Hong Kong
Amy Wong Tsz Ching
Upper Iowa University
Term 1, 2015-2016
PSY302(DT)-Substance Abuse
Dr. Pohl
Dec 2, 2015

Abstract
In Hong Kong, youth substance abuse refers to the drug abused by youngsters who are under age of 21. According to the Narcotics Division (ND) of the Security Bureau, the commonly abused drugs by youngsters are heroin and psychotropic substances, especially ketamine. Psychotropic substances include ketamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), triazolam/midazolam/zopiclone, cocaine, cannabis, nimetazepam, cough medicine and methylamphetamine (Legislative Council Secretariat, n.d.).

The Most Common Type of Drug Abused by Youths in Hong Kong In Hong Kong, the reported …show more content…

In 1998, 58% of them took heroin, 50% of them took psychotropic substances and some took both. In 2007, only 2% of them took heroin, and 99% of them took psychotropic substances (Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau, n.d.). The number of reported narcotics analgesics abusers (5115) continued to be lower than that of psychotropic substance abusers (6137). In 2007, ketamine was the most common type of psychotropic substances abused by youth drug abusers (80.2%), followed by ecstasy (21.3%), ice (13.6%), cannabis (11.9%) and cocaine (11.8%). Ketamine has remained the most common psychotropic substance of abuse since 2001 and has been increasing in recent years. Decreases in the number of abusers taking ecstasy and cannabis were observed in 2006 and 2007. On the contrary, the significant increase in numbers taking ice and cocaine since 2004 calls for attention (Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau, …show more content…

China itself is the biggest user and producer of ketamine in the world and this makes it an enormous task to control. But through education, policing and treatment, the government is hopeful that they will get the problem under control (The Cabin Hong Kong, 5 May, 2015).

References
Legislative Council Secretariat (n.d.). The youth drug abuse problem in Hong Kong. Research and Library Services Division. Retrieved from http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr08-09/english/sec/library/0809in12-e.pdf
Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau (8 April, 2014). Drug Situation in Hong Kong in 2013. GovHK. Retrieved from http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr13- 14/english/panels/se/papers/se0408cb2-1224-3-e.pdf
Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau (n.d.). Youth Drug Abuse: Trends, Characteristics and Challenges. GovHK. Retrieved from http://www.nd.gov.hk/en/report/pdf/yda/chapter2.pdf
The Cabin Hong Kong (5 May, 2015). High Levels of Ketamine Use in Hong Kong. Retrieved from http://www.thecabinhongkong.com.hk/high-levels-of-ketamine-use-in-hong-

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