THE rave drug 'Ecstasy' has become a necessity for party-goers as young as 12, according to two surveys unveiled yesterday.
Concern groups have warned the problem could become more acute as the summer holidays leave youngsters with more time on their hands - and called for drug education to target primary as well as secondary school students.
One poll conducted by the Hong Kong Playground Association, which interviewed 366 people aged between 12 and 25 who frequent parties, discos and karaoke bars, found some Primary Six pupils were regularly taking Ecstasy.
Of the 70 per cent of the respondents who admitted taking rave drugs, about two-thirds were under 17, with a few aged just 12 or 13.
More than 90 per cent ranked Ecstasy as the most popular soft drug, followed by marijuana and ketamine, with 61 and 59 per cent respectively. The two were often taken as a cocktail.
'It is very upsetting to see children as young as 12 are now joining the trend, and the problem will be more serious in the summer,' association social worker Grace Au Yuk-har said. 'We suggest educating primary pupils about the effect of drug abuse. 'Most of the youngsters I talk to go to parties and discos because of family problems or have too much spare time.' More than half of the respondents went to parties and took drugs at least twice a week and 72 per cent took drugs at discos at least once a month.
