香港特区药物滥用的经济成本

ECONOMIC COSTS OF DRUG ABUSE IN THE HONG KONG SAR

目的·· :估计在1998年香港特区的药物滥用成本 ,探讨药物滥用对社会及个人造成的经济损失。方法··:把成本分为私人成本与社会成本、明显成本与不明显成本 ,以及直接成本与间接成本 ,然后在药物费用、医疗服务、福利开支、预防教育与研究、工作场所、刑法制度与罪案 ,及财物毁坏7个领域里进行成本估计 ;资料搜集方面 ,包括访问与药物滥用有直接或间接关系的政府与非政府机构 ,及对一个有322人的药物滥用者及康复者的样本进行调查。结果··:1998年香港药物滥用成本的总成本为港币42.26亿元 ,其中68 %是社会成本 ,32 %为私人成本。公共开支方面 ,总额是15.33亿元 ,是全港所有公共开支的0.8 % ,其中治疗与康复工作占36 % ,刑法机构开支占31% ,福利开支占22% ,医疗服务占7 % ,及预防、教育与研究占3 %。药物滥用的人均成本为港币632元。结论··:药物滥用为社会及个人造成巨大的经济损失 。

Objective: To estimate the costs of drug abuse in the Hong Kong SAR in 1998, and to examine the economic loss borne by the society and by the individual. Method: Cost was delineated into different categories, namely, private cost and social cost, tangible cost and intangible cost, and direct cost and indirect cost, and a cost estimation exercise was performed for cost of drugs, medical services, social welfare, prevention/education/research, workplace, criminal justice system & crime, and property damage. In data collection, representatives of most of the government departments and NGOs directly or indirectly involved in the drug field were interviewed, and a survey of 322 active or recovered drug addicts was conducted. Result: In 1998, the total cost of drug abuse in Hong Kong was estimated at HK$4226 million, of which 68% was social cost and 32% was private cost. The amount of public expenditure related to drug abuse was HK$1533 million, which constituted 0.8% of the total public expenditure in Hong Kong. Of the drug-related public expenditure, 36% was spent on treatment and rehabilitation, 31% on the criminal justice system, 22% on welfare, whereas only 7% was on medical services and 3% was on prevention, education and research. The cost per capita due to drug abuse was HK$632. Conclusion: Heavy costs of drug abuse were borne by the society and individual drug addicts. Effective prevention and intervention work could greatly reduce the costs of drug abuse in society.