Changing roles of non-governmental organizations in dealing with substance abuse problems

Abstract

This paper re-examines the existing roles of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in dealing with drug abuse problems in Hong Kong. The emerging roles of non-governmental organizations in drug demand reduction include service specialization, service provision, volunteerism-consumerism and advocacy. It was suggested that the government organizations (GO) and NGOs in Hong Kong should co-ordinate their efforts if they are to properly address a complex social problem such as drug abuse. The efforts of GO and NGOs can have supplementary and complementary effects.