Taipei City Government

Mayor Ko Wen-je vowed to crack down on drugs in school campuses during a press conference on December 14. Yuanta Financial Holdings, Paper Windmill Foundation, and Paolyta Charity Foundation will join hands to prevent drugs from entering schools through a series of tour performances starting 2016.
According to Ko, the number of third-grade drug abuse cases among youths has jumped by 16.25 times in the past decade, making it a pressing issue for the city government.
The police department, under the instruction of the mayor, has beefed up effort to clamp down on substance abuse over the year. However, the problem remains unresolved. This indicated that a different approach – one through education – should be adopted.
In light of this, Ko proposes a three-pronged approach to tackle the issue. First, campaigns should seek to raise awareness on the hazardous effects of drug use. Second, a tracking and counselling system should be established to help children under the influence of drugs. Third, the Department of Social Welfare should play a proactive role in the intervention of troubled families and provide assistance for students with behavior problems.
Ko stressed that drug abuse will not only result in health disorders, but also have other implications such as AIDS infection. The city government will integrate health, social welfare, police, and educational resources in the fight against drugs.