The Shek Kwu Chau Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre may introduce a service for adult users of psychotropic substances. Superintendent Patrick Wu Shon-on said that while the government had devoted its attention to young drug users, adult users of such substances were being neglected. 'The administration should be conducting long-term planning on dealing with drug problems,' he said. 'The teenage drug abusers will grow up and the number of adult psychotropic substances abusers will go up within a few years. We see that there will be such a demand for the service in maybe three years' time.' Most treatment centres were serving young drug users at the moment, he said, but there were not many choices for older ones, such as pop singer Jill Vidal, 26, who returned to the city from Japan at the weekend after being sentenced to two years' jail, suspended for three years, after admitting heroin use and possession. Mr Wu also pointed out drug users changed their pattern of use over time. 'The government is now reviewing resources on heroin abusers, as it observes a fall in the number,' he said. 'But many young drug users who start with psychotropic substances will eventually get their hands on heroin, cannabis and even cocaine. 'If resources are cut for heroin abusers, then how can we handle the problem when these young drug abusers become adults taking heroin, cannabis or cocaine in the future?' Mr Wu recalled the government spent considerable resources to combat heroin 10 to 20 years ago. 'The government portrayed heroin as a dangerous poison ... and psychotropic substances were seen as leisure drugs. But now it is the leisure drugs that are causing a big problem,' Mr Wu said. 'What we need is a comprehensive policy with vision and long-term planning to tackle this problem.'
