Busting drugs: Rosanna Ure addresses 350 frontline anti-drug workers at a briefing session on a new screening and assessment protocol for poly-drug abusers.

A new screening and assessment protocol for poly-drug abusers has been produced to provide frontline health workers with an organised framework for information collection and assessment.

Commissioner for Narcotics Rosanna Ure said the protocol will also facilitate cross-referral for treatment and rehabilitation services that best suits addicts.

Despite the fall in addicts reported to the Central Registry of Drug Abuse since last year, an upward trend in the percentage of people abusing multiple drugs has been registered since 1999.

Among the total number of reported abusers, the percentage of poly-drug abusers rose from 13% in 1999 to 19.4% last year.

In view of this, Narcotics Division commissioned a one-year study in 2002 to produce a set of screening and assessment guidelines on poly-drug abusers.

The research was conducted by a multi-disciplinary team of experts from the Hospital Authority, Society for the Aid & Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers, and the HK Lutheran Social Service.

A CD-Rom of the protocol will be distributed to drug treatment agencies and related organisations, youth services organisations, schools, and Government departments. It has also been uploaded to the division's website.