簡介
Listen to #Hashtag Hong Kong every Sunday morning at 8.15
Focussing on issues affecting civil society, we'll hear from representatives of NGOs, associations, statutory bodies, and non-profit groups.
(Sundays 8.15am - 8.25am)
最新
Cindy Ng, Senior manager, Program and Services of KELY Support Group
The landscape of substance use amongst young people in Hong Kong presents a significant public health challenge that demands comprehensive attention. KELY Support Group is committed to youth drug and alcohol prevention, recognising the complex factors contributing to substance misuse amongst adolescents and young adults. We need to come to a consensus that addressing this issue requires collaborative effort across our community.
Recent data from the Narcotics Division reveals a complex trend in youth substance use. While the total number of reported drug users has decreased in 2024 compared to the previous year, the number of young drug users has increased instead, by 15%. This highlights the need for targeted intervention strategies. We must also be aware that these statistics may not reflect the real situation as there are more hidden drug cases, and alarms should also be raised for them.
Of particular concern is the emergence of "space oil", a substance gaining rapid popularity amongst young people. Typically packaged as e-cigarette capsules, it contains etomidate, a medical anaesthetic that requires a doctor's prescription. This drug has become increasingly accessible through digital platforms, emerging as the third most prevalent substance amongst youth in the first half of 2024. Specifically, 75 out of 452 young drug users reported using space oil, with cannabis and cocaine remaining the top two substances.
Over KELY's three decades of prevention work amongst youth, we noticed a significant shift in young people's attitude towards substance use. The changing global landscape, with several countries legalising marijuana and adopting more open discussions about substance use, has piqued young people's interest and curiosity about different substances. This is particularly noticeable amongst those planning to travel or study overseas.
Social media has fundamentally transformed how young people access information about substances. While these platforms provide unprecedented access to knowledge, they also present significant challenges. Young people often struggle to distinguish between credible facts and misinformation, leaving them vulnerable to potential risks.
At KELY, we believe that prevention and education is crucial, especially before young people encounter illegal or harmful substances. Our approach focuses on imparting facts, especially potential risks and harm relating to substance use for youth, enabling them to make informed decisions. We work closely with schools to provide prevention education, creating safe spaces where young people can openly discuss drug issues and ask questions, with access to credible knowledge.
We recognise that drug use is often linked to mental health, with many young people turning to substances as a coping mechanism for stress, relationship challenges, and other life pressures. Therefore, our work extends beyond prevention to support the development of healthy coping strategies and robust support networks. We aim to equip young people with tools such as peer support skills to navigate the complex challenges of their teenage years effectively.
Schools, educators, parents, and the community must play a comprehensive and collaborative role in drug prevention and youth education. This approach requires a multi-dimensional strategy that goes beyond traditional information delivery. Schools should include evidence-based, age-appropriate curriculum that integrates interactive workshops and mental health support. Creating early warning systems is critical to this approach, where staff are trained to recognise signs of substance vulnerability and provide confidential counselling without judgement.
Parents need robust support to effectively engage with their children. Workshops that teach communication strategies can help parents understand adolescent psychology, and guide them in creating open, non-confrontational dialogues about substance use. Community involvement is equally crucial, requiring coordinated efforts between local health services, youth organisations, and support infrastructure that offers accessible counselling, mental health resources, and mentorship programmes.
In the digital age, prevention strategies must also adapt to technological landscapes. This means developing verified online resources, interactive educational platforms, and social media awareness campaigns that teach digital literacy and critical information evaluation. Young people need tools to understand online risks, practise responsible digital citizenship, and learn to distinguish credible information from misinformation.
The underlying principle of KELY Support Group's interventions is prevention, empathy, and peer support. Our organisation recognises that addressing youth substance use requires a fundamentally different approach from traditional punitive measures. Instead, KELY focuses on building individual resilience, promoting healthy lifestyle choices, and creating supportive environments that address the root causes driving young people towards substance experimentation. At KELY, we believe that by developing a comprehensive and unified ecosystem of support, education, and understanding, we can more effectively prevent substance misuse and empower young people to make informed, healthy decisions that positively shape their future.
重溫
Sky Siu, outgoing CEO of Kely Support Group
“Investing in Prevention”
KELY Support Group has been dedicated to youth wellbeing in Hong Kong since our establishment in 1991. We are committed to seeing young people reach their full potential, and the latest drug use trends among young people in our city concern us greatly.
Government statistics are showing a decline in substance abuse among youth, but our on-the-ground experience tells a different story. Through our drug education programmes, we reach over 7,000 secondary school students annually. Around 30% of these young people indicate that they have people in their lives who have used drugs or abused alcohol. This figure suggests the problem remains pervasive, despite official reports.
In addition, we are also seeing some of the largest drug busts in Hong Kong's history in recent years showing a persistent availability and demand for illicit substances. In a society already grappling with rising mental health challenges, this is a deeply worrying trend with far-reaching consequences.
The impact of youth substance abuse extends far beyond the individual. It places immense strain on families, as they struggle to support loved ones suffering from addiction. And for society at large. Financial and social costs are staggering from healthcare expenditures, lost productivity, and community safety issues.
Underlying this crisis is a profound and persistent stigma around mental health and addiction in Hong Kong. While the city is starting to make progress in recognizing the mental health needs of young people, there is still a long way to go. Substance abuse, in particular, remains a deeply taboo subject. Many still look at it as a moral failing rather than the mental health condition it truly is. This stigma is a major barrier preventing young people from seeking help when they need it. Instead of being celebrated for their courage, they are often shamed and ostracized. and almost forced to suffer in silence until their condition spirals into a full-blown crisis.
That is why, this World Drug Day, KELY Support Group is calling for a renewed, evidence-based focus on prevention - one that starts with fostering a culture where early help-seeking for addiction is seen as a sign of strength, not weakness.
Research shows that for every dollar invested in prevention programmes, ten dollars are saved down the line. Yet this long-term, complex work is often overlooked in favour of reactive, short-term solutions and costly rehabilitative work. The data is plain and simple, and it is up to us to make smart, strategic investments in protecting our young people.
We suggest three key approaches to building a future free from the devastating grip of substance abuse: empowering trusted adults to model healthy behaviours, providing early intervention, and equipping youth with positive coping mechanisms. By taking a proactive, holistic approach that tackles the root causes, we can prevent the tragedies that tear families and communities apart.
But we cannot do this alone. We urge policymakers, funders, and the wider community to join us in this critical effort. Only through a coordinated, multi-stakeholder strategy can we truly address the complex, interconnected drivers of youth substance abuse in Hong Kong. This means establishing a cross-sectoral task force to prioritize and align prevention efforts and share best practices in addition to our usual rehabilitation goals. It means increasing the funding pot for evidence-based programmes run by trusted community organizations. It means integrating substance abuse efforts into broader youth development initiatives focused on mental health, life skills, and positive coping mechanisms. Above all, it means destigmatising addiction and viewing it as a treatable mental health condition, and not a moral failing.
The time to act is now. Together, we can build a future where seeking help for addiction is seen as a courageous first step, not a source of shame. A future where every young person in Hong Kong has the support they need to live healthy, fulfilling lives, free from the devastation of substance abuse.
This morning, I'd like to dedicate " When we stand together" by Nickelback
to everyone who's going through a tough time and facing challenges in their lives.
