Teenage Drugs Subculture: Implications for Preventive Strategies in Social Work Practice

Abstract

Rapid social change due to the emigration and development of new towns, has weakened parental bonds and the social support networks of families and clans. These changes may lead to an immense increase in teenage drug abuse and suicide. The drug dependence of teenagers is not simply a result of curiosity, but a reflection of stress management in the form of escape from reality. This paper gives an account of the stages of adolescent drug dependence, and the levels of intervention where social work practitioners can play a more active role in drug prevention. Strategies related to primary, secondary and tertiary prevention are discussed. 新移民流入和新市镇的发展，减弱了家庭和亲族的社交支援网络和家长的约束。这些改变令少年滥用药物和自杀的个案大增。少年依赖药物问题并非单纯是好奇的结果，其实亦反映了以逃避现实来处理压力的方式。这篇文章细述青少年依赖药物的阶段，与及社工可以更主动的角色介入预防药物滥用。文中并讨论基层、中层和深层的预防工作。

Juvenile Crime and Responses to Delinquency in Hong Kong

“…They only accounted for 1.6% in 1993 and 0.6% in 1997. Although not many juveniles were caught for drug-related offences, newly self-reported drug abuse cases among young people younger than 21 years of age doubled between 1988 and 1992 (Lai, 1997).…”