ASSISTING ESCAPE FROM DRUGS

DRUG addiction in Shanghai has maintained a rapid growth rate, with the
number of young drug-takers growing the fastest.

The city has reported about 2,800 drug addicts while experts say the
correct figure is six to 10 times higger.

"Young people between 18 and 25 make up 36.4 per cent and those under 18
accounted for 2.8 per cent," said Huang Shunmei, from Shanghai Mandatory
Drug Rehabilitation Institute.

Due to limited government resources and high medical costs, outside help is
now entering the drug rehabilitation arena.

Last Tuesday, the first four patients, all from Taiwan, entered the
Shanghai Huashi Drug Recovery Hospital, the city's only privately-run drug
rehabilitation hospital for medical and psychological treatment.

Jointly invested by Shanghai Yishida Investment Ltd and Shanghai Huashan
Health Development Co, the hospital is able to accept about 80 patients and
charges about 6,000 yuan (US$723) for the first detoxification period of
about two weeks.