The Chairman of the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN), Dr Donald Li, attended the All Hong Kong Inter-Secondary Schools Life Saving Competition (competition) and presented prizes today (September 29). The competition was organised by the Schools Sports Federation of Hong Kong, China (HKSSF). Dr Li gave encouragement to about 400 student athletes from 39 secondary schools in Hong Kong, and distributed souvenirs with anti-drug messages to school principals, teaching staff, parents and students who participated in the activity.
Speaking at the prize presentation ceremony, Dr Li said that anti-drug work and life-saving share the same mission as saving people’s lives. He reminded students to protect themselves by always saying no to any drugs. He added, “Taking drugs does not cheer people up or make anyone ‘chill’, and it definitely cannot resolve problems. In case you are troubled by anything or have something on your mind, you may confide with your family, teachers or social workers. No true friends would invite you to take drugs.”
In addition, Dr Li emphasised that the fight against drugs requires the whole community to act with a united strength. He appealed to everyone with the theme “Let’s Stand Firm. Knock Drugs Out!” He invited everyone present, especially students, to exert their influence on those around them and remind them of the harm of drugs, and to never try drugs or engage in drug trafficking for quick money. Recently, a youngster, who committed the crime of drug trafficking at the age of 15, was sentenced to jail for 11 years by the High Court. Dr Li called on concerted efforts from students to guard people around them, as well as to use their life-saving strength to rescue those in need and pull them from difficult situations. He also encouraged people in need of help or in search of relevant information to approach professional social workers through the 24-hour hotline 186 186.
The Narcotics Division (ND) of the Security Bureau has all along been committed to anti-drug preventive education and publicity that targets students. The ND also encourages students to develop a healthy lifestyle and stay away from drugs through participation in sports activities. Among them, there is the Healthy School Programme, with its voluntary drug testing component which has been running for years, and also the Beat Drugs with Sports programme, which is equally well-received by schools, teachers and students.
The Beat Drugs with Sports programme was launched during the 2017/18 school year. With the school campus as a platform, the programme aims to let students have a clear understanding on the harm of drugs and strengthens their resolve against drug abuse through encouraging secondary school students to organise or participate in activities related to sports and healthy lifestyles. It also supports student athletes to take part in sports competitions. The HKSSF has been a supporting organisation for this programme for years and is assisting in promoting and publicising the programme to secondary schools. For wider dissemination of anti-drug messages and promotion of a positive and healthy lifestyle to members of the public, especially young people, the ND is collaborating with the HKSSF in the 2023/24 school year and has become a supporting organisation for the competition for the first time.
The ND website (www.nd.gov.hk) contains detailed information about drugs. Separately, the statistical figures of the Central Registry of Drug Abuse up to the first half of 2023 are also available on the ND website (www.nd.gov.hk/en/crda_main_charts_and_tables.html).
