Profile of China's drug abusers changing as narcotics use spreads to new urban class: report

Drug abuse is spreading to China's new urban class, including the entertainment sector and even civil servants, according to a report released by the National Narcotics Control Commission on Wednesday.

The 2014 Drug Review Annual Report - the government's first comprehensive look at drug use on the mainland - said the country's drug abusers were coming from more diverse backgrounds.

"The drug abuse groups are gradually spreading from the unemployed, the self-employed, farmers and migrant workers in the past to employees of enterprises and institutions, freelancers, people in the entertainment sector and even civil servants," the report stated.

The government has made a string of high-profile drug arrests of celebrities, including the son of Hong Kong action movie star Jackie Chan. Jaycee Chan, 32, served a six-month jail term on drug charges earlier this year.

Officials abusing drugs have also made headlines. In April, Gong Weiguo, mayor of Linxiang in Hunan province, was removed from office for taking drugs. He was allegedly naked and high on drugs when police caught him.

Last December, nine Yunnan officials were stripped of their party membership for abusing drugs.

Public security assistant minister Liu Yuejin said the narcotics commission was working with the culture ministry and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television to come up with rules to curb drug abuse in the entertainment sector.