IH PROJECT LEARNINGTeen Drug Abuse

Annie Lau(15), Agatha Mak(20), Pearl Mak(21) Annabel Tong(27), Whitney

Wai(31) Jaey Wong(32), Yuki Yeung(38)

IntroductionResearch Topic: Teen drug abuse in Hong Kong

Research questions:

(a) What is teen drug abuse like in Hong Kong?

(b) Why do teens in Hong Kong abuse drugs?

(c) What are the effects of teen drug abuse in Hong Kong?(d) What can be done to improve the situation of teen drug abuse in Hong Kong?

 

The reason for choosing the topic: Teen drug abuse is very serious in Hong Kong and it has affected a great number of teenagersIt has gradually become an unhealthy trend

The consequences of teen drug abuse are terribly harmful

Therefore by doing the project, we want to find out the reasons for teen drug abuse and hence

help them stay away from drugs.

Drug abuse An overpowering desire or need to continue taking the drug and to obtain it by any means

A tendency to increase the dose; a psychic and generally a physical dependence on the effects of the drug

Detrimental(不利 ) effects on the individual and on society.

The doses of drugs taken are for periods beyond those normally regarded as therapeutic irrespective( 與治療無關 ) of the number of takings.

Teen drug abusers are teenagers under 21 years old who are addicted to drugs

86%

14%

yesno

No. of respondents  

Yes 30No 5

Do you think teen drug abuse is common in Hong Kong?

(a) What is teen drug abuse like in Hong Kong?There were 3430 young drug abusers in Hong Kong aged under 21 in 2008, an

increase of 51% in three years.

Both the number and proportion of those aged 12-17 has increased steadily in recent years.

The overall drug abuse population is becoming younger!!

Common types of drugs abused by teens:

Depressants( 鎮 抑 劑 ) eg. barbiturates ( 巴比士酸鹽 )

Stimulants( 興 奮 劑 ) eg. amphetamines( 安非他命 ) , cocaine( 可卡因 )

Narcotics ( 麻醉劑 ) eg. Morphine( 嗎啡 ) , heroin( 海洛英 )

Hallucinogens( 迷幻劑 ) eg. LSD

(b) Why do teens in Hong Kong abuse drugs?

Stress •A form of escape

•go against their parents

Emotional problem

•Teens who have a history of mental illness and with low self-esteem ( 自尊 )

Family problem

•A family history of addiction and untreated physical pain

Peer pressure

•Want to be accepted by friends •Imitate the behavior of peers•Mis-guided by peers that taking drugs boost popularityCuriosity

•Relieve boredom and curiosity•Entertainment•Not aware of the consequences of taking drugs

(c) What are the effects of teen drug abuse in Hong Kong?

Health

• change the eating habits and cause weight loss

• cause diseases such as baldness( 禿頭 ), heart attacks, strokes( 中風 ), liver and lung disease etc.

• affect the body, including permanent brain damage and halted breathing (停止呼吸 )from sedatives( 鎮靜劑 ) which may result in death.

• get infectious( 傳染 ) diseases like hepatitis( 肝炎 ) or HIV( 人體免疫缺損病毒 )

【明報專訊 】 26-2-2010

基督教得生團契戒毒營為青少年提供福音戒毒服務，總幹事馮都新接觸過的吸毒青年多不勝數，他表示，從這些個案中，社區裏有吸毒者只有 8 、 9 歲﹕「他們身邊的大哥哥、大姐姐朋友都有毒品問題，那些小孩不單幫忙帶毒，還會索 K （吸食氯胺酮）。」他又憶述，有不到 20 歲的青少年戒毒後才發現患上血癌 ，醫生懷疑青少年因長期吸毒，破壞了免疫系統。又有一名不到 18 歲的青少年因吸毒破壞了泌尿系統，需要插入喉管小便，醫生稱無藥可治。

(c) What are the effects of teen drug abuse in Hong Kong?

Emotional problems anxiety, depression and mood swing or hallucinations ( 幻覺 )

Society usually engage in criminal activities such as burglary and

prostitution

BehaviorsFlunking out of school or not going to school.

skipping class, failing to complete assignments.

disturbing the neighborhood.

Family problemlose interest in family activities .

(d) What can be done to improve the situation of teen drug abuse in Hong Kong?

A survey by Central Registry of Drug Abuse Fifty-seventh Report about Hong Kong drug abuse statistics of 1997-2007 had found that:

The reason “peer influence” (48.2%) came first

“ Relief of boredom” (44.6%) came second

“ Curiosity” (44.4%) came third

Improving the situation of teens in Hong Kong abusing drugsteens themselves must be strong-minded.

Parents:

Shouldn’t be afraid to be open-minded and honest

Communicate more with their children

Should not be judgmental or angry

Should talk about what they have personally observed and seek the truth

Teach their children about drug abuse when they were small

Establish a friendly relation with their children

Learn their feelings, behaviour and pressure

Identify, new ways to explore and fight against the use of drugs

Schools

can hold more talks and arrange more courses on drug abuse

encourage students who have taken drugs to look for professional help

should provide more social workers

Develop a positive and correct attitude among students

Government The police can hold the anti-drug campaign to tackle juvenile drug problem

Establish school-based voluntary drug testing scheme aiming at making students stay away from drugs

Should make more policies to stop the trend of drug abuse

Do more promotional work

SocietyThe Christian Fellowship drug Rehabilitation Camps for young people provide compulsory detoxification services

HKFYG, HKBGA and the Chinese YMCA, have each set up a new internet service team

more community activities such as sports competitions should be held

Mandatory( 強制性 ) drug tests can be conducted

Encourage youth to go to Youth Drug Counselling Centres( 禁毒處 ) and Prevent Youth Work of Lutheran Youth Centres for teens for help

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Reflection Difficulties

• Deciding our research topic

• Doing the research questions summary

• Organize and re-writing the information from the documentary review

• Encountering a lot of difficult words

• Check meaning in dictionaries

What we have learnt

• The seriousness of teen drug abuse in Hong Kong

• The communication skills

• How to cooperate with teammates

• To be humble and listen to others ideas and suggestions.

• How to analyze the data

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs P. Yeung for giving us so much useful advice.