Drug Use

Drug abuse compromises physical, social and psychological functioning of adolescents. Types of drugs being abused include narcotics analgesics, hallucinogens, depressants, stimulants, tranquillizers and others. They not only affect the developing brain and cause serious mental diseases, but also damage the function of other organs in the body. They cause both physical and psychological dependence. Youth drug abuse is often a manifestation of some wider and more intricate issues such as family, school or health problems.

For more information on, please refer to the Narcotics Division, Security Bureau website: http://www.nd.gov.hk/en/index.htm

Local Statistics on Drug-taking Behaviour among Youth

(1) Proportion of drug-taking among upper primary students by sex, in the school year 2008/09, 2011/12 and 2014/15

	2008/09			2011/12			2014/15
	Drug-taking in past 30 days	Drug-taking in past 12 months	Ever drug-taking	Drug-taking in past 30 days	Drug-taking in past 12 months	Ever drug-taking	Drug-taking in past 30 days	Drug-taking in past 12 months	Ever drug-taking
Male	0.6%	0.9%	1.9%	0.4%	0.4%	1.5%	0.2%	0.2%	0.9%
Female	0.4%	0.6%	1.0%	0.1%	0.1%	0.6%	0.1%	0.1%	0.6%
Overall	0.5%	0.8%	1.6%	0.2%	0.3%	1.1%	0.1%	0.2%	0.8%

(2) Proportion of drug-taking among secondary students by sex, in the school year 2000/01, 2004/05 and 2008/09

	2000/01			2004/05			2008/09
	Drug-taking in past 30 days	Drug-taking in past 12 months	Ever drug-taking	Drug-taking in past 30 days	Drug-taking in past 12 months	Ever drug-taking	Drug-taking in past 30 days	Drug-taking in past 12 months	Ever drug-taking
Male	2.8%	NA	6.0%	0.8%	NA	3.3%	1.6%	2.2%	4.6%
Female	2.0%	NA	4.9%	0.7%	NA	2.9%	1.2%	1.7%	3.7%
Overall	2.4%	NA	5.5%	0.8%	NA	3.3%	1.5%	2.0%	4.3%

(3) Proportion of drug-taking among secondary students by sex, in the school year 2011/12 and 2014/15

	2011/12			2014/15
	Drug-taking in past 30 days	Drug-taking in past 12 months	Ever drug-taking	Drug-taking in past 30 days	Drug-taking in past 12 months	Ever drug-taking
Male	0.7%	1.0%	2.7%	0.7%	1.0%	3.0%
Female	0.3%	0.5%	1.7%	0.2%	0.4%	1.5%
Overall	0.5%	0.8%	2.3%	0.5%	0.7%	2.3%

Notes:

Percentages are calculated based on students in the respective education levels covered by the survey.
Upper primary students refer to students from primary 4 to 6 of Local Primary Schools and year 5 to 6 of international primary schools.
Secondary students refer to students from secondary 1 to 7 of local secondary schools (or secondary 1 to 6 students under the New Senior Secondary Curriculum) and year 7 to 13 of international secondary schools.
As there were slight differences in questionnaire and research methodology for surveys in different years, direct comparison of the data has to be done with caution.

Sources of data:

The 2000/01, 2004/05, 2008/09, 2011/12 and 2014/15 Surveys of Drug Use among Students. Hong Kong SAR: Narcotics Division, Security Bureau.

For more details of surveys, please refer to http://www.nd.gov.hk/en/research_reports.htm