A $7.67 million allocation from the Beat Drugs Fund has been approved for 20 anti-drug projects in the 2005-06 funding exercise, bringing the total number of projects sponsored to 289 and the funds disbursed to $133.76 million since the fund's establishment in 1996.

Of the 20 projects approved this year, 12 are related to preventive education and publicity ($476.7 million), three to treatment and rehabilitation ($678,380), one to research ($120,000), and four to mixed-type projects ($2,103,364).

Commissioner for Narcotics Rosanna Ure, who is also the Beat Drugs Fund Association Governing Committee member, said the fund aims to offer financial assistance to community efforts to beat drugs.

For the 2005/06 funding exercise, 20 projects out of a total of 53 applications have been approved. One treatment and rehabilitation-related project aims to provide a reintegration service to female rehabilitated drug abusers while another research project is a study on acupuncture therapy in the treatment of heroin dependence.

The mixed-type projects, preventive education and publicity-related projects cover activities targeting high-risk youths, parents, teachers, youth workers as well as families with children with disabilities, single parents and new arrivals. Two projects aim to enhance anti-drug awareness specifically in ethnic minority groups.