programmes that target the general public and habitual abusers who need

treatment services respectively. Since there is no secondary prevention

programmes with specialized strategies to tackle the drug-taking attitude and

behaviour of certain types of drug abusers, a group of risk-taking youths who

happen to be potential, occasional or marginal abusers have been neglected

and left in the service gap.

the PS33-Centre for Psychotropic Substance Abusers of our Agency has

specially designed a 2-year(July 1995 to June 1997) experimental project

named "Project Aware" to reach out to these young abusers and help them

to stop their drug-taking behaviour.

The uniqueness of this project was that it adopted a "stepped motivational

strategy" by training youth workers and professionals on early identification

of young abusers and timely intervention. They then helped to identify target

young abusers and motivate them to participate in a series of attractive, brief,

single-session intervention programmes. While some were motivated to commit

themselves in staying drug-free, those who needed further intervention were

assigned to a targeted alternative group programme. Through interactive and

small group approach, these occasional or marginal abusers were helped to raise

their drug awareness, develop their carving control skills, enhance their risk

coping strategies and foster their generic competence.

produced to enable more professionals to deal with young drug abusers

through secondary prevention strategies.

the brief intervention programmes; 86.8% became drug-free after the alternative

group programme, and 83.2% maintained abstinence 3 months after the groups

were terminated. On the overall, the Project has achieved its objectives and the