HONG KONG, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) of Hong Kong announced on Wednesday that the total number of reported drug abusers in the first half of 2019 decreased to 3,612, down 14 percent, as compared to the same period last year.
The latest figures showed that, as compared to the same period of 2018, the number of reported drug abusers aged under 21 increased slightly by one person to 269; the number of newly reported drug abusers decreased by 6 percent to 835, in which 48 percent were young adults aged between 21 and 35.
Heroin remained the most common type of drug abused, with the number of reported abusers decreased by 24 percent to 1,838; Methamphetamine (commonly known as "Ice") continued to be the most common type of psychotropic substance abused, with the number of reported abusers increased slightly by one person to 827. Meanwhile, the number of reported cannabis abusers increased by 35 percent to 316.
Ben Cheung, chairman of ACAN, said, "Despite the decrease in the total number of reported drug abusers in the first half of 2019, the continued increase of cannabis abuse, particularly among youngsters aged under 21, warrants our sustained attention."
Cheung stressed that cannabis is a drug. Young people may have the misconception that cannabis is not harmful to health, but as a matter of fact cannabis abuse is addictive and can lead to severe damage to mental health.
In this respect, ACAN has been strengthening preventive education and publicity to facilitate a correct understanding of the harms of cannabis abuse and rectify mistaken concepts about this drug.
