DOCTORS TO JOIN TEACHERS IN WAR ON DRUG ABUSE

The government has decided to involve private doctors in addressing
the disturbing rise of drug abuse among the young.

The government will also enhance training for school principals,
teachers and school social workers in a bid to identify drug abusers
at an early stage but remains reluctant to introduce drug screening
at schools as this could infringe of human rights.

Secretary for Justice Wong Yan-lung said private doctors would be
provided with more information to help them identify young addicts at
an early stage and motivate patients to seek help promptly.

A government study showed the number of drug users under 21 years
old, mostly involving designer drugs such as ketamine and ecstasy,
had increased by 15.2 percent in the first quarter of 2008.

Hong Kong Doctors Union president Yeung Chiu-fat said doctors could
act as gatekeepers by providing a cure. But he said getting to the
root of the problem would take a long time as drug abuse is often
related to social problems such as the growing wealth gap in Hong Kong.

Wong said the government is currently seeking an additional HK$53
million in funding to develop long-term measures to tackle youth drug abuse.

The Task Force on Youth Drug Abuse, set up last October, has launched
an education campaign to help young people fully understand the
harmful effects of illegal drugs.

Wong stressed the school sector has an important role to play in the
campaign. He said the government will offer enhanced training for
school principals, teachers, school social workers as well as parents
so that high-risk youths may be identified easier.

However, the implementation of drug testing in schools remains on the
back burner. Wong said though drug testing would be a powerful tool
to combat the problem, it could not simply be implemented as it could
infringe on a person's rights.

Some international schools in Hong Kong allow drug testing but only
when students are suspected of taking drugs.