Education key to war on drugs, gov't told
By Guan Xiaofeng (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-06-27 05:30

With young people making up 70 per cent of China's drug users, to curb the spread of drugs among China's youth has become an urgent task in the country's wider war on drugs.

At the Seventh Forum on Juvenile Drug and AIDS Prevention Education held on Friday in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, experts and educators alike urged the government to step up anti-drug education among the young.

According to statistics provided by the National Narcotics Control Commission, China is now home to 791,000 drug users, a growth of 6.8 per cent over last year.

And people under 35 years old make up 70 per cent of this total. "Youngsters are now becoming victims of new types of drugs like 'head-shaking' pills, 'ice,' and ketamine powder," said Han Qide, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

Pi Yijun, a professor from China University of Political Science and Law, said: "These new types of drugs are making their way into public entertainment venues, posing a greater threat to teenagers who are vulnerable to temptation."

And most are not even aware of the consequences of drug use, Pi said.

Even in a modern city like Shanghai, drug prevention is an uphill battle.

Sui Dingzhong, a teacher from Shanghai Beihai High School, said 82 per cent of Shanghai's adolescent drug users became addicted without knowing the harm drugs cause, citing a survey conducted by the city's narcotics control authorities.

The school has attached greater importance to anti-drug education in recent years and has been chosen by the Ministry of Education as a model school in drug prevention education.

Drug prevention has become a subject that lasts for a semester for the school's junior grade 2 students.

And students are encouraged to volunteer and head into neighbouring communities to promote anti-drugs awareness.

"We should educate our children to keep away from drugs in the way we have them vaccinated them against diseases," Sui said.

"We have all seen the government's resolution and efforts in fighting drugs. For example, the government has pooled a huge fund for building drug rehabilitation centres," said Cheng Feng, director of Family Health International (FHI), China.

According to an FHI survey conducted in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, those aged between 14 and 19 make up 43 per cent of local drug users.

The government should pay equal attention to anti drug education because it is perhaps the most effective and cost-efficient way to eliminate drug use, Cheng said.

(China Daily 06/27/2005 page2)

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