Streamers at the event – and public health messaging in general – warned about the harmful effects of illicit drugs, while services like SOSKELY offer partying tips and alcohol-free engagement to youth, focusing on reducing harm and providing care.

Urban abbreviations – such as “Yolo” (You Only Live Once) and “LOL” (Love Our Life) – have been repurposed as anti-drug slogans, ostensibly to be more relevant to the target audience. However, have we genuinely considered why youth choose drugs?

Reflecting on my hard-partying days, I remember getting into unfamiliar vehicles to pick up drugs. I never knew who I transacted with, or even considered if the drug dealers could have posed an immediate threat to my life, should a routine pickup turn into a police bust. All I knew was I needed drugs to ease my feelings of insecurity and isolation.

Self-medication is well known as a coping mechanism for mental health problems, and substance use and addiction can contribute to the development of mental illness. The summer holidays give young people time to relieve emotional burdens that accumulated during the school year.

Drug addiction remains a taboo subject, which is probably why we are stuck with generalisations. As someone who experienced alcohol and drug addiction, I understand that addressing this issue requires a holistic approach that includes addressing the multiple factors that lead a young person to take drugs: the environment, peers, a person’s state of mind, and the media.

As a society, our underlying assumption is that youth have to be told what to do and believe, but what we actually need to do more is listen.

When engaging with youth, it’s important that we use their language. Peer support is a proven method, demonstrated by KELY Support Group’s Talk2Me programme, which provides peer support for young people’s emotional well-being, especially through social media.

June 26 marks the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. As adults, we are responsible for fostering an environment where young people can safely confide in someone, ask questions without judgment, and feel comfortable seeking help.

James Gannaban, ambassador of KELY Support Group

Improve heat-warning system to better protect workers

The warning system is meant to guide employers and workers on how to prevent heatstroke on very hot days. However, the general reaction from both employers and employees to the first alerts could be summed up in one word: confusion.

Most people were not aware of when the signal would be hoisted, or what the three colour-coded warnings mean to which workers. This is not surprising, partly because the index has just been introduced, but also because there are many variables involved.

The heat stress index is calculated from the relative humidity, intensity of sunlight and temperature recorded at the Tsim Sha Tsui station of the Hong Kong Observatory. An amber signal will be issued when the index reaches 30, indicating high heat stress, going up to red for 32 (very high heat stress) and black for 34 (extremely high heat stress).

But heat varies from site to site, and depends on whether you are working indoors or out. The kind of work also matters. With different recommendations given to different workers, the guidelines are unwieldy.

With extreme weather persisting, workers will need some form of protection. Instead of the current guidelines, the authorities should encourage employers to allow workers to start work earlier, rest during the hottest part of the day, and end work later.

For work that ends late, shift work might be an option. In fact, workers of all job types should be able to work out their own arrangements with their employers.

Dr Wong Hong-yau, Happy Valley