Join the Anti-drug Roving Exhibition Tomorrow for a Drug-Free Future!

Sixth stop of "Anti-drug Info Zone: Stride Ahead Into A Drug-free Future" Roving Exhibition to be staged at TKO Spot this weekend

​The "Anti-drug Info Zone: Stride Ahead Into A Drug-free Future" Roving Exhibition (Anti-drug Roving Exhibition) will be held at TKO Spot in Tseung Kwan O tomorrow (September 21) and September 22. Members of the public are welcome to visit the exhibition at Venue A and Venue D on the G/F of TKO Spot from 10am to 9pm.

The Anti-drug Roving Exhibition is co-organised by the Narcotics Division (ND) of the Security Bureau and the Action Committee Against Narcotics, and is designed with the theme of interstellar space. Drugs are portrayed in the exhibition as aliens that should be defeated. This visual representation helps present the adverse effects caused by drugs on one's mind and body in a vivid manner. By seeing the aliens, everyone will be strongly reminded again to stay away from drugs at all times, and of the dire consequences of committing drug crimes.

Including elements of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and multimedia, the Anti-drug Roving Exhibition is divided into different theme zones with games, digital exhibition panels and a photo booth to spread anti-drug knowledge to visitors, and provide them with information about criminal liability for drug offences, how to seek help and so on. Anti-drug videos, animations and leaflets will also be available at the Anti-drug Roving Exhibition to provide visitors with precise anti-drug information. After the sixth stop, the Anti-drug Roving Exhibition will be held at shopping malls in different districts and at tertiary institutes until the end of March next year.

Furthermore, the ND has been closely monitoring drug trends in and outside Hong Kong and carrying out preventive education and publicity in a timely manner to deepen the public's understanding of the harmful effects caused by drug abuse. Recently, the ND has produced an animated video about "space oil", which depicts a youngster falling into a drug abyss after inhaling "space oil" through vaping. "Space oil" is a kind of liquid that has harmful substances illegally added to it. Usually, its main ingredient is etomidate, an anaesthetic that can only be prescribed by a doctor according to the law. Anyone who illegally possesses and uses this substance commits an offence. "Space oil" may also be mixed with other drugs, including cannabis, methamphetamine (commonly known as "Ice"), ketamine (commonly known as "K"), etc. "Space oil" can cause addiction as well as serious physical and mental harm, and even death. Therefore, vaping "space oil" is the same as taking drugs. The animated video will be shown at the Anti-drug Roving Exhibition. Members of the public are also encouraged to watch the animated video on the ND's relevant webpage (www.nd.gov.hk/en/publicity_materials.html) and official accounts ("narcotics.divisionhk") on Facebook and Instagram.

Apart from the animated video on "space oil",netizens are also encouraged to follow the ND's official accounts ("narcotics.divisionhk") on Facebook and Instagram for the latest anti-drug information. The website (www.nd.gov.hk) of the ND also contains detailed information about drugs, including frequently asked questions about cocaine, cannabis and "Ice" for the public's reference, as well as updates on the Anti-drug Roving Exhibition (www.nd.gov.hk/en/rovingexhibition.html). If members of the public encounter any drug problems, they can message 98 186 186 on instant messaging applications WhatsApp and WeChat, or call the 24-hour hotline 186 186 to seek information or assistance from professional social workers.

15 owners or representatives of owners' corporations fined a total of over $73,000 for causing fire hazards such as by propping open smoke stop doors

The Fire Services Department (FSD) has been mounting territory-wide special enforcement actions at old composite buildings since late April. As of end-August, the FSD inspected 930 old composite buildings and issued over 5 300 Fire Hazard Abatement Notices (FHANs) to relevant individuals or responsible parties, requiring them to abate the identified fire hazards within a specified timeframe. The fire hazards mainly involve wedging or propping open smoke stop doors and obstructing means of escape.

Fifteen owners or representatives of owners' corporations from 13 old composite buildings were prosecuted by the FSD for failing to comply with the requirements of the FHANs. They were subsequently convicted and fined a total of $73,400 at Shatin Magistrates' Courts, Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts, Eastern Magistrates' Courts, Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts and Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts this week and last week. Above all, one of the old composite buildings was found to have multiple smoke stop doors propped open, resulting in its owners' corporation being fined a total of $19,200 at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (September 20).

According to the Fire Services (Fire Hazard Abatement) Regulation, a person on whom an FHAN is served commits an offence if that person fails to comply with a requirement of the notice within the period specified in the notice, or if the person on whom a fire hazard abatement notice is served causes, permits or suffers the fire hazard to recur at any time within a period of 12 months after the date of service of the notice, the person commits an offence. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty is a fine of $100,000, and an additional fine of $10,000 for each day the offense continues.

The FSD reminds the public not to wedge or prop open smoke stop doors or obstruct means of escape to ensure public safety.