HONG KONG -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) John Lee said on Saturday that the HKSAR government will control cannabidiol (CBD) as a drug through legislation, and products containing CBD are expected to be prohibited early next year.

In his opening address at an anti-drug event, Lee said the HKSAR government spares no effort in its fight against drugs and law enforcement agencies have successfully tackled many drug-related cases.

In 2021, the number of cases detected by the Hong Kong Police Force and Hong Kong Customs increased by 15 percent, along with a 150-percent increase in the amount of drugs seized.

He said that cannabis is a drug, and more than half of the young drug abusers had used cannabis.

Over the past decade, the number of reported drug abusers in Hong Kong has nearly halved to about 6,000 by 2021. However, the number of reported young drug abusers in 2021 has risen by about 45 percent, Lee said, stressing that there must be no let-up, and youth access to drugs must be eliminated through public education and law enforcement.