Hong Kong's drug abusers fell 14 percent in 2022

The police patrol a party district to make sure bars are in compliance with COVID 19 coronavirus restrictions in Hong Kong on December 24, 2020. The number of drug abusers in Hong Kong decreased by 14 percent in 2022 compared to the previous year, according to the Central Registry of Drug Abuse.

The number of reported drug abusers in the special administrative region dropped from 6,095 in 2021 to 5,234 last year, according to a statement from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government.

It said that the number of reported young drug abusers aged under 21 declined by 19 percent from 888 to 718.

The most common type of drug abused in 2022 was heroin, followed by Cocaine and Methamphetamine locally known as Ice, while cannabis, cocaine, and ketamine remained the three most common types of drugs abused among young drug abusers under 21 years old, according to the CRDA.

The Action Committee Against Narcotics noted that cocaine was the most common type of psychotropic substance taken among drug abusers, overtaking Ice for the first time in 10 years.

ALSO READ: More efforts needed to fight drug abuse in the city.

Coca cultivation increased by 35 percent between 2020 and 2021, and there is an expansion of the market for non-traditional markets, according to a report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in the middle of the month.

The impact of the international supply of drugs on Hong Kong should be closely monitored, according to the ACAN. It added that the higher number of young people taking cannabis and cocaine warrants attention.

The number of people arrested for drug offenses in 2022 decreased by 14 percent from 4,634 to 4,005 in 2022, compared to the number of arrests in 2021, according to the figures from law enforcement agencies.

During the same period, the number of young arrestees under 21 decreased by 29 percent from 678 to 483, and cannabis was the main drug involved. In 2022, according to court cases, the share among people prosecuted for drug offences was as high as 83 percent.

The ACAN also noted that law enforcement agencies had broken a string of major drug traffickers cases in the previous year, even when COVID 19 ran rampant.

The figures in 2022 were very likely to be affected by the severe COVID - 19 epidemic at the time. The figures in 2023 might rebound and ACAN chair Donald Lee said that we will not let our guard down as the recent resumption of social activities and travel presents new challenges to our anti-drug work.

He said the change of policies against drugs in some regions overseas, particularly the relaxation of control on cannabis and the deliberate attempt by drug dealers to promote drugs as a trendy and stress-relieving product, will have an impact on the alertness of the public against drugs.

Lee said ACAN and the Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau will strengthen targeted anti-drug efforts in collaboration with other departments in the face of the challenges ahead.

The ND reminded the public not to use drugs as large-scale entertainment events and social gatherings are becoming more frequent, and with a long holiday approaching in April.