Society

35% of Macao's recorded drug abusers aged below 21

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-04-13 23:39

MACAO - The government of Macao Special Administration (SAR) Tuesday said that it recorded 626 drug abusers last year, of which 35 percent were young people aged below 21.

The SAR government's Social Welfare Bureau launched the electronic "Central Registration System for Drug Abusers of Macao" last year, with the aim to collect data that reflects the actual status of drug abusing and assist the authorities to make drug- enforcement related policies and services.

According to the data collected by the system, most of the drug abusers tended to take their drugs at home and they spent an average of 5,519 patacas (US$690) on drugs each month.

Meanwhile, the youngest drug abuser registered were just 13 years old, and the average age of young people who try abusing drugs for the first time were 14.8 years old, according to the data provided by the system.

The Social Welfare Bureau will carry out investigation into Macao's drug abusing cases, especially those concerning the young people this year, with the hope that it will help prevent the problems from getting worse, said Ip Peng Kin, director of the Bureau.

To address the drug abusing issues, the SAR government has already set up the inter-departmental Narcotics Control Committee, which was headed by the SAR's Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Cheong U.

The Committee held this year's first meeting today, where government officials gathered to discussed the youth drug problems and reviewed the implementation of the Central Registration System for Drug Abusers.