Commissioner for Narcotics Rosanna Ure has called for the formation of service programmes to reach out to and motivate Hong Kong's rising numbers of young psychotropic drug abusers to seek assessment and treatment.

The move is among the proposals recommended in the 4th 3-year Plan on Drug Treatment & Rehabilitation Services released today. It maps out strategic directions for government departments and other organisations to follow in delivering drug treatment and rehabilitation services from 2006 to 2008.

It has several major recommendations and key initiatives covering various areas of treatment and rehabilitation, such as early and effective intervention for abusers, reintegration and relapse prevention for ex-abusers, co-operation among anti-drug professionals, and structured professional training for anti-drug workers.

Family, teacher involvement

Mrs Ure said that as experimental and occasional drug abusers will not take the initiative to seek help, there is a need to involve their family, teachers and school social workers so assistance can be offered. The plan recommends programmes be designed to enhance the drug knowledge and communication skills of these anti-drug partners.

Recognising the importance of keeping former addicts clean, Mrs Ure said the plan encourages more co-operation between the commercial sector and NGOs to provide vocational training, job placement and volunteer work. Suitable aftercare and support services for their families are considered essential.

To train anti-drug workers, Narcotics Division has commissioned Baptist University's School of Continuing Education to run the six-month part-time Certificate Course in Drug Treatment & Rehabilitation.

"Also, we hope that specific anti-drug subjects could be included or strengthened in the curriculum for medical and social work students in their university training," Mrs Ure said.