Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.1
Part One - Are you addicted to something?
1.1 Indicators of addiction
Knowledge : Indicators of addiction
Skill : Self reflection
People use alcohol, smoke, take drug and gamble for many reasons. For example, to help
them relax, feel happy or meet their curiosity. However, sometimes people become
addicted to these things. No one plans to addict. People may think that they can handle the
use of these things and they use only when they want to. But when they want to change
the way they use, they may find it’s not that simple.
While different addictions may have different indicators, it is reasonable to warn yourself
of addiction if you often have at least five of the following problems:
Am I addicted to _____________________?
1. Keep on thinking about that thing, even when working or
studying.
2. Do that thing to escape from problems or bad mood.
3. Need to spend more and more time on doing that thing to
become satisfied.
4. Cannot stop or reduce doing that thing.
5. Feel uneasy or angry when being stopped from doing that thing.
6. Lie to friends or family about how much you do that thing.
7. Do unlawful things like stealing money, so that you can keep
doing that thing.
8. Put blame on the others (e.g. other people, bad luck, the
government) for the problems you face.
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.2
1.2 What makes addiction different from hobby or love?
Knowledge : Definition and elements of addiction
Skill : Induction
The three cases below have something in common. Find the common things among them
which mark the elements of addiction.
Case One : Cathy
Cathy loves going out after work with her friends. Her job
is hard. Having some beer with her friends made her
happy. Later, Cathy’s “after-work drink” became whole
evening of drinking, and whiskey and brandy replaced
beer. She missed dinner and got home very late. A few
times she could not remember how she had got home the
night before, and she was often late for work. She tried to
stop drinking, but she simply could not. When her friends
told her to stop drinking, Cathy became angry because she thought that her friends did not
understand and support her. In fact, she did not care losing her friends any more. She
could not stop drinking because she found herself sad and lonely if she stopped. At last,
she lost her job, friends and was in debt. To forget the problems, she drank more.
Case Two : Dan
Dan started taking drugs two years ago. At first he
took drugs only with friends during party, but he
took more and more often. At last, he took every day.
Dan found that he was quickly losing his memory, he
could not work and had to go to toilet very often.
However, to make himself feel better, he told himself
that these problems had happened just because he
had not slept well. At last, he lost his job and friends for using drugs.
Dan had tried to stop using drugs, but he found that without drugs he was bored and dull.
His need to get “high” was stronger than his will to stop using drug.
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.3
Case Three : Fred
Fred started playing online game half year ago. He soon found the world of online game
much more interesting than the real world. He spent more and more time every day on the
game, until he spent the whole night on the game and slept during the lessons in day. In
some cases he ran away from school just to play online game. Because he did not sleep well,
he was dull in the day. His study became a mess.
Fred had tried to spend less time on the game, but he could
not because he found himself not interested in any thing but
online game. Online games filled his mind day and night. To
him, life is boring without the game. He once refused to
travel abroad with his parents during holiday, just because
he was not sure if he could play online game in the hotel.
WHAT IS ADDICTION?
1.
People are said to have addiction if they have these elements of addiction:
They have increasing use of the substance or behaviour.
They are unable to control or stop the use.
Harmful results occur to them.
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.4
1.3 What are people addicted to?
Knowledge : Substance addiction and process addiction
Skill : Brainstorming, fluency
Base on the definition of addiction you learn in Unit 1.2, list some things that many people
are addicted to. Classify these things into some categories at your own choice.
1. alcohol
4. thinner
2. tobacco
5. gasoline
7. doing exercise
8. shopping
10. dieting
11. online game
3. drug
6. gambling
9. eating
12. sexual activity
WHAT ARE PEOPLE ADDICTED TO?
Addiction may be classified into two types: substance addiction, for example alcoholism
drug abuse, eating disorder and smoking; and process addiction, for example gambling,
shopping, computer using and sexual activity (Answer for reference only)
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.5
Part Two - Why and how do people become addicted?
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.6
In the table below are factors of addiction. Classify them into SOURCE, PERSONAL and
ENVIRONMENTAL factors by putting them into the Venn diagram on next page.
1.
4.
Some people are born
2.
Some people smoke
3.
Some people are not
more likely (but not
just because their
addicted to online
necessarily) to be
friends do the same.
game because they
addicted to drugs.
They want to mix well
find other meaningful
with their friends.
things to do.
More than half of the
5.
Some people gamble
6.
Some drugs can make
people with drug
and drink a lot because
people high and
addiction have also
they feel bored.
excited.
had mental health
problems.
7.
Some people drink
8.
Some people take drug
9.
Some people learn
alcohol to relax and
and smoke to show
gambling and smoking
make it easier to talk to
their friends and
from their family
other people.
classmates that they
members.
are brave.
10. Some people fail in
11. Some people are too
12. Some people put
school or working
weak to control
blames on others. They
place. They want to
themselves. They do
don’t believe that
win in gambling or
what they want to do.
drugs or gambling
online game.
13. Some people start
causes them problems.
14. Some people gamble
15. Some people stop
taking drugs because
or buy things to forget
smoking because their
they are curious about
their unhappiness.
friends and family
drugs. They want to
encourage them to do
try.
so.
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.7
2.1 Factors of addiction
Knowledge : Source, personal and environmental factors of addiction
Skill : Classifying
SOURCE FACTOR
6
1
3
4
7
5
11
13
PERSONAL FACTOR
12
14
2
10
8
9
15
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.8
2.2 Stages of addiction
Knowledge : Stages of addiction, cycle of addiction
Skill : Analogical thinking, elaboration, imagination
Addiction is not a sudden thing. The development of addiction can be divided into
different stages.
STAGES OF ADDICTION
Source : Staying Sober, by Terrence T. Gorski & Merlene Miller
1.
Short-term good feeling : First there is the short-term good feeling.
2.
Long-term pain : The short-term good feeling is quickly followed by long-term pain.
Pain is the result of doing that thing as well as stopping doing that thing.
3.
Addictive thinking :
You keep thinking about the good feeling of doing the thing.
You tell yourself you have no problem and blame others for the pain you have.
4.
Increased tolerance : Doing that thing brings smaller and smaller good feeling to you.
You have to do more and more (e.g. take more drug, play the game for longer) to
produce the same good feeling.
5.
Loss of control : The addiction to the thing becomes so strong that you cannot think
about anything else. You cannot live you life properly.
6.
Bio-psycho-social damage: Finally, there is damage to your health(bio damage), to
your mind (psycho damage), and your relationships with others(social damage). Such
damage causes you to do that thing more to get relief. A deadly cycle forms.
CYCLE OF
ADDICTION
1
6
2
5
3
4
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.9
Do you remember the case of Cathy in Unit 1.2? Cite evidence from her case to show how
she becomes addicted to alcohol through the six stages of addiction.
1.
Short-term good feeling
2.
Long-term pain
3.
Addictive thinking
4.
Increased tolerance
5.
Loss of control
6.
Bio-psycho-social damage
To forget the problem, she drank more
In debt / lost her job
5
Drank more and more / whiskey and
brandy replaced beer
4
She was angry that her friends did not
understand and support her
3
She missed her dinner / was late for
work / forgot things /
Having beer with friends helps Cathy
relax
6
2
1
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.10
RISK FACTORS AND THE WAYS LEADING TO ADDICTION - WRITING A STORY
Your school is organizing an “Anti-gambling Campaign”. Base on what you learn in Unit
2.1 and 2.2, write a story, between 300 and 500 words, to tell why and how a person
becomes addicted to gambling. Your story will get high mark if it:
1.
shows clearly the factors of gambling addiction;
2.
shows clearly how that person becomes addicted to gambling through the six stages;
3.
has rich and believable content
4.
is easy to read and understand;
Excellent - 4 marks
1


2


3



4



Good - 3 marks
covers a wide
variety of risk
factors
puts the risk
factors into a
reasonable
context
complete
evidence of the
six stages
correct
sequencing of the
six stages

no information
gap
the content
conforms to
common sense
the story is a
typical one
few grammatical
mistakes
few misspelled
words
storyboard is
whole








Fair - 2 marks
Poor - 1 mark
covers a wide
variety of risk
factors
the risk factors,
however, are not
in a reasonable
context
complete
evidences of the
six stages
incorrect
sequencing of the
six stages

covers some of
the risk factors

does not cover
the risk factors

some evidences
of the six stages
incorrect
sequencing of the
six stages

absence of
evidence of the
six stages
incorrect
sequencing of the
six stages
no information
gap
the content
conforms to
common sense

a few
information gaps
the content
conforms to
common sense

some
grammatical
mistakes
some misspelled
words
storyboard is
whole

many
grammatical
mistakes
many misspelled
words
storyboard is
whole










lack of details
many
information gaps
the content does
not conform to
common sense
many
grammatical
mistakes
many misspelled
words
storyboard is
broken
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.11
Part Three - Drug abuse by Hong Kong youngsters
Alarm at rise in number of teenage drug abusers Police and a rehabilitation centre are concerned about the increasing number
of teenage drug abusers, with figures showing a rise in arrests.
29-6-2007 SCMP
Ketamine linked to health woes - Doctors investigate cause of
kidney, bladder problems among abusers of drug. Ten ketamine users are suffering
from severe kidney and bladder dysfunction in the first hint of an association between
such problems and the popular party drug.
22 -6-2007 SCMP
Schoolboy suspected of delivering cocaine A schoolboy, 17, has been arrested on suspicion of being a drug courier after he
was found with cocaine.
9-5-2007 SCMP
(SCMP : South China Morning Post)
Task : Drug abuse has been a problem among Hong Kong youngsters in recent years. To
help fight drug abuse, you will make a leaflet about drug abuse by Hong Kong
youngsters and the harmful effects of drug abuse. Your task can be divided into the
following steps:
Step One
: Understand what a good leaflet is
Step Two
: List guiding questions
Step Three
: Information collection
Step Four
: Make the leaflet
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.12
3.1 What is a good leaflet?
Skill : Convey information, analogical thinking
Compare the two leaflets about the same topic given by your
teacher. Which one you think is better? What are its merits over
the other one? Base on the merits of the better leaflet, fill the
following rubric for the leaflet you will make. Your teacher will
choose the best rubric to mark the leaflets from students.
What should a good leaflet be?
Criteria
It provides information that fits the topic.
Range of mark
0 - 20
It provides correct information.
The text is divided into paragraphs. Readers read and
understand the leaflet easily.
Each paragraph has a heading to help reader understand
it.
There are diagram to help readers read numbers.
There are tables to help reader organize information.
There are photos to help reader recognize things.
The leaflet is colourful and eye-catching.
The leaflet lists the sources of information.
Total
0 - 100
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.13
3.2 List guiding questions
Skill : Define purposes of collecting information
Before you head out to make a leaflet, it is better to think about this question first: What
should I put into the leaflet? To answer this question, the 6-Ws Method may help you. The
table below shows the 6 Ws. Base on them, list some guiding questions for your leaflet.
One guiding question has been suggested for you as an example.
Drug abuse among Hong Kong youngsters and the harmful effects of
drug abuse
The 6 Ws
Guiding questions
1.
What is drug abuse?
2.
How common is drug abuse among Hong Kong
youngsters?
What
3.
When do they start drug abuse?
4.
What are the harmful effects of drug abuse?
5.
What drugs do they abuse?
6.
Who abuse drugs?
7.
Why do they abuse drugs?
8.
Where do they take drugs?
9.
From whom do they get drugs?
When
Who
Why
Where
How
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.14
3.3 Collecting information about drug abuse & its effects
Knowledge : Drug abuse, drug abuse among Hong Kong youngsters
Skills : Critically investigate sources to distil relevant information, use appropriate
language to present information
Video : Narcotics Division’s web site:「濫用藥物及其對個人、社會的遺害」:
http://www.nd.gov.hk/pop_health.htm (Chinese version only)
HKSAR students who admitted drug abuse in a survey(*) done by
Hong Kong Baptist University in 2004
Age
Percentage of students who
Source : The 2004 Survey of
admitted
Drug Use Among Studenst,
by Hong Kong Baptist
drug abuse in 2004 (%)
University
12 or below
0.4
13
0.5
14
0.8
(*) Students in schools
15
0.9
were invited to answer
16
0.8
questionnaire about drug
17
1.0
18
0.6
19 or above
1.0
abuse
HKSAR residents, between ages 0 - 19,
who were reported(*) to
abuse drugs in 2004
HKSAR residents
HKSAR residents between ages Percentage of HKSAR residents
between ages 0 - 19 in
0 - 19 who were reported to
between ages 0 - 19 who were
2004 (persons) (**)
abuse drugs in 2004 (persons)
reported to abuse drugs in 2004
(***)
(%)
1862
0.1
1441000
*
Number of cases reported by law enforcement departments, treatment and welfare agencies,
hospitals and clinics, and tertiary institutions.
**
Source : Census Department
*** Source : Narcotics Division, Security Bureau
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.15
Drug abuse among HKSAR youngsters by sex
Drug abuse among HKSAR youngsters by time and common drug
type
* More than one type of drug may be used by each abuser
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.16
Most common reasons for drug use (2007)
The mean age of first drug abuse
Source : Narcotics Division, Security Bureau : http://www.nd.gov.hk/drugstatistics.htm
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.17
Q.1 WHAT IS DRUG ABUSE?
Drug abuse refers to the taking of drugs
without following medical advice or
prescription, or the indiscreet use of
dangerous drugs for non-treatment
purposes.
Source : Narcotic Division, Security Bureau:
http://www.nd.gov.hk/druginfo.htm
Q.2 HOW COMMON IS DRUG ABUSE AMONG HONG KONG YOUNGSTERS?
Read Sources One - A and B. Complete the sentences below.
1. According to Source One - A, the
percentages of Hong Kong students
between 13 - 18 who abused drug in 2004
are 0.5 - 1.0%
2. According to Source One - B, the
percentage of Hong Kong youngsters
below 21 who were reported to abuse
drug is 0.1%.
3.
The two sources show how common drug abuse is among Hong Kong youngsters.
But the percentages of drug abusers differ a lot between the two sources. Can you tell
why?
The proportion shown in Source One - B is based on the number of cases reported to
government or non-government organizations. However, there are many cases
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.18
of drug abuse not reported. Therefore the proportion shown in Source One - B is
much lower than that of Source One - A.
4.
Which source would you choose to show the commonness of drug abuse among
Hong Kong youngsters? Give reasons to support your choice.
Source One - A : It includes both reported and unreported cases
Source One - B : The cases are confirmed by Government or non-government
organizations, therefore more credible/ the figure includes youngsters
between 0 - 19, not only students
Q.3 WHO ABUSE DRUGS? WHAT DRUGS DO THEY ABUSE? WHY DO THEY
ABUSE DRUGS? WHAT ARE THE TRENDS OF DRUG ABUSE?
Base on Sources Two - A, B, C and D, write a short article on drug abuse by Hong Kong
youngsters. Your report should have more than 200 words. The following questions may
help you write the article:
1.
Who - The age and sex of drug abusers
2.
When - The time when people began drug abuse
3.
What - The types of drugs abused by youngsters
4.
Why - The causes of drug abuse
Male drug abusers are more than female drug abusers. The ratio has been about
7(male) to 3(female).
More and more people began drug abuse when they were below 21 years old.
In 2004, 81.8% of the drug abusers began drug abuse below 21 years old.
In 2007 first quarter, 84.5 % of the drug abusers began drug abuse below 21 years old.
Between 2004 and 2007, the number of ketamine users below 21 was the largest,
followed by MDMA and cannabis. In 2006, the numbers of their users were
1845, 1079 and 472 persons respectively.
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.19
The number of ketamine users fell from 1480 in 2004 to 1368 in 2005, then rose to
1845 persons in 2006.
The number of MDMA users rose from 814 in 2004 to 1194 in 2005, then fell to
1079 persons in 2006.
The number of cannabis users was more stable between 2004 and 2006, varied
between 572 and 472 persons.
In 2007, peer influence was the most often cited reason to explain drug abuse, followed
by seeking euphoria and sensory satisfaction, and relief of boredom/depression/
anxiety.
Q.4 WHAT ARE THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE ON HEALTH?
Visit the web site of the Narcotics Division, Security Bureau:
http://www.nd.gov.hk/druginfo.htm
Find the street names and the harmful effects on health of the drugs listed in the table
below.
Category
Substance
Street Names
Harmful Effects of Abuse (Any
Two for each substance)
Narcotic
Heroin
analgesics
"white powder",

Dependence
"No.4",

Drowsiness

Respiratory depression, nausea

Withdrawal syndrome:
watery eyes, runny nose,
yawning, loss of appetite,
irritability, tremors, panic, chills,
sweating, cramps.
Hallucinogens
Cannabis
"Marijuana",
"grass"

Disoriented behaviour

Impaired judgement

Bronchitis

Conjunctivitis

Endocrine disorders
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.20
Category
Substance
Street Names
Harmful Effects of Abuse (Any
Two for each substance)
LSD
"Black Sesame"

Disoriented behaviour

Impaired judgement

Nausea and vomiting

Increased pulse rate and elevated
blood pressure
Depressants
Quinalbarbitone
GHB
Stimulants
No
“Liquid Ecstasy”
Methylamphetamine “Ice”
Cocaine
“Crack”

Dependence

Slurred speech

Disorientation

Impaired memory and thinking

Depression or mood swings

Toxic psychosis

Sleep disorder

Liver and kidney damage

Drowsiness

Nausea

Visual disturbance

Unconsciousness

Seizures

Severe respiratory depression

Coma

Insomnia

Depression

Toxic psychosis

Loss of appetite

Heart and kidney failure

Agitation

Feelings of persecution

Extra sensibility, especially to
noise

Mood swings

Affected memory
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.21
Category
Substance
Street Names
Harmful Effects of Abuse (Any
Two for each substance)

Damage to sensory tissues of
nose
MDMA

Impotence

Delirium

Death
“E”

“Ecstasy”

Dehydration
Exhaustion

Muscle breakdown
Overheating
Convulsion
Collapse
“Blue Gremlin”,

Drowsiness
“Cross”

Depression

In-coordination

Loss of memory

Impaired cognitive and



Tranquillizers
Benzodiazepines
neuromotor functioning
Other
Ketamine
“K”





Cough medicine
No





Slurred speech
Impaired memory
Impaired motor function
Deficiency in motor coordination
and impairment in executive
function
Respiratory/ heart problems
Respiratory depression
Toxic psychosis
Constipation
Loss of appetite
Dizziness
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.22
Q.5 WHAT ARE OTHER HARMFUL EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE?
In addition to health effects, can you state the social and economic effects of drug abuse?
Users’ relations with
friends and families
worsen
Users’ families
may be in debt
Users lose income
because of lower
ability to work
Users’ families and
friends worry for users
Drug driving
cause traffic and
other accidents
Users’ families
pay extra cost for
caring users
Users commit crime to
support their drug use
Employers suffer
from sickness
absence
Drug traffickers
commit crime for
their trades
Money from drug
trafficking supports
wars and terrorism
Government pays
extra cost to fight
crime
Public fear of
crime
Government provides
rehabilitation for drug
users
(Answers for reference only)
Government pays
for criminal cases
in court
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.23
3.4 Make & mark the leaflet
Skill: Evaluate against established criteria the quality of outcomes
Your leaflet should:
1.
be colour-printed on F4 paper;
2.
have at least 250 words;
3.
have the qualities you listed in STEP ONE;
4.
have a title, your name and class, and page number; and
5.
NOT longer than 4 pages of A4 paper
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.24
3.5 Fighting drug abuse in Hong Kong
Knowledge : Actions against drug abuse in Hong Kong
Skill : Classifying
TYPES OF ACTION IN HONG KONG AGAINST DRUG ABUSE
1.
Just like fighting other addiction problems, fighting drug abuse needs different
actions. By the doers, these actions can be classified into individual level (done by
you and me) and institutional level (done by government or non-government
organizations). By the aims, these actions can be classified as reduce supply (stop
users from getting the drugs) and reduce demand (reduce people’s want of drugs).
2.
Actions in Hong Kong against drug abuse include:
A.
Government and voluntary agencies educate the
public about the harmful effects of drug abuse.
The more people know about the evils of drug
abuse, the more they prefer a drug-free life.
Right : An anti-drug teaching kit provided by
Government
B.
The Police and the Customs work hard to cut
drugs supplies.
C.
Government takes drug traffickers to court.
Below : Suspected drug traffickers under arrest
D.
Correctional Services
Department runs compulsory
placement scheme for the
addicted who have committed
minor crime.
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.25
Compulsory placement scheme
Location
Hei Ling Chau
Major Target Client (by drug)
Opiate narcotics & psychoactive drugs abusers
Target Client (by sex)
Male & female
Treatment
Drug treatment (2 - 12 months)
Half-way house
Counselling by Aftercare Officer
Follow-up service
Recreation
Occupational counselling
Self-help / therapeutic group
E.
Hong Kong Government works hand in hand and shares experience with other
governments to stop drug trafficking.
F.
Hong Kong has been working closely with Guangdong and Macau to deal with
cross-boundary drug issues.
G.
Citizens learn how to say no to drugs.
H.
The Department of Health provides methadone treatment programme. It helps the
addicted quit heroin use by supplying them less-harmful methadone.
I.
Citizens learn more about the harmful effects of drug abuse from school and media.
J.
Non-government organizations (NGO), such as Caritas HUGS Centre, PS33 of the
Hong Kong Christian Service, provide counselling programme for the drug addicted.
The programmes help them quit their addictions.
K.
Some NGOs like Caritas
Hong Kong run in-patient
drug rehabilitation
programmes for those
who wish to quit drug
abusing.
Right
:
Government
officials visit rehabilitation
centre
L.
Hospital Authority runs five substance abuse clinics. Their services include drug
treatment and counselling.
M. Citizens lead a healthy life style by taking part in sports and cultural activities. This
reduces their want of drugs.
Source : Narcotics Division, Security Bureau : http://www.nd.gov.hk/index.htm
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.26
3.
Put actions A - M into the matrix below. It helps you understand more about those
actions. (Hint: Some actions may be put into more than one quadrant)
Matrix of actions fighting drug abuse in Hong Kong
Individual level
Quadrant II
Quadrant I
G, I, M
Institutional level
B, C, D, E, F, K
A, D, F, H, J, K, L
Quadrant III
Quadrant IV
Reduce supply
Reduce demand
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL AND INSTITUTIONAL ACTIONS
1.
How are the individual actions different from institutional actions?
Institutional actions aim at both reduce demand and reduce supply, but
individual actions aim at reduce demand only.
2.
Can you explain the difference?
Actions aim at reduce supply involve large amount of money / danger
special knowledge & information/ special skills / coordination among different
departments etc. Individuals are not ready for them.
Citizens consider it is Government’s, not individual’s duty to take reduce-supply
actions.
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.27
HOW CAN A YOUNGSTER LIKE YOU STAY AWAY FROM DRUGS?
Knowledge : Ways for youngsters stay away from drugs
Skill : Convey information
Do you think that you’ll be addicted to something? You may think that you’ll never. But
actually, there are many youngsters who are like you become drug addicted. What can
youngsters do to stay away from drugs? The story below may give us some hints.
Grace’s Story - Part One
Grace was having a bad year. Her parents had had quarrels for years and were
thinking about divorce. Luckily, though there was a lot of tension at home,
Grace was always willing to tell her parents her feelings and worries, because
she knew that she must face the problem. By telling her parents her feelings,
Grace felt much better. Always a good student, Grace continued to find comfort
in studying hard and getting good grades in school. Her best friend, Susie, had
really been there for her, too. Susie was willing to listen to Grace. In fact they
talked much. Every weekend Grace had planned something fun for them to do
by themselves or with other friends. Over the past several months, Grace and
Susie had gone ice-skating on a regular basis, seen many movies, and gone
bowling. Grace had also continued to play soccer on her school’s team.
Knowing Grace was sometimes feeling upset, her classmate Katy had been
inviting her to party. But Grace had heard that some classmates brought drugs
to these parties. For that reason, Grace had always stayed away from these
parties as well as Katy. So far Grace was able to stay away from drugs.
1.
Why could Grace stay away from drugs?
She was willing to tell other people her feelings. It made her feel better.
She had good friends who were willing to listen to her.
She had healthy life style. She played soccer, ice-skated and saw movies.
She found comfort in studying hard and getting good grades in school.
She stayed away from dangerous places and bad friends.
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.28
Grace’s Story - Part Two
Finally Grace’s parents divorced. Katy invited Grace to party again. This
time Grace thought that it might be a way to forget about her problems for
a little while. It might be fun. In the party, Grace’s classmate Sam handed
her some pills and said………
Rewritten story from: Discovery Education :
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/addiction/
2.
Continue the story by imagining what Sam might say to make Grace take the drug.
“We are friends! I won’t let
you do anything harmful.
Just try!”
“These pills are not addictive!
You are really silly if
you trust your teachers.”
“Dare you try these pills?
If you dare not, just say you
dare not, I won’t push you.”
“Everybody here takes
these pills. We’ll be unhappy
if you don’t follow the rule.”
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.29
3.
If you were Grace, what might you say to reject the pills? The hints given may help
you. Watch a video in Hong Kong Christian Service’s web site to learn some ways to
say no to drugs : http://www1.hkcs.org/video/a19ps3301.wmv (Chinese version
only)
Say No directly
“These pills are addictive. No,
thanks!”
Fight back
“Why are you using drugs? Stop
using drug, for you own sake!”
Counter proposal
“Taking drug is no longer
fashionable. Let’s watch
a movie!”
Using an excuse
“It’s twelve o’clock now. I have
to go!”
Using friendship
“If we are friends, don’t push me
to do anything I don’t want to do!”
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.30
Part Four - Internet addiction in our school
Task : Study internet addiction in our school. Your study will
include the following steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Know internet addiction and its effects
Brainstorm and mind map the topic of study
List guiding questions about the topic of study
Set, distribute and collect questionnaire
5.
Collate and interpret the data from questionnaire
Write a reporting about internet addiction in your school
6.
4.1 Knowing internet addiction and its effects
Knowledge : Features and problems of internet addiction
Skill : Comprehend different types of text
Articles about internet addiction
Study uncovers US net addicts - A new study (in US) has revealed that between 6 and 14
per cent of US computer users are internet addicts, unable to resist their urge to check
emails , write blogs or surf web sites ………Aboujaoude (The spokesperson) said that in
addition to pornography and gambling sites , chat rooms, shopping venues and
special-interest Web sites are also habit-forming .
Source : 明報 24/10/2006
1 in 8 of young addicted to Net - More than 13 percent of Chinese teens and young adults
are addicted to the Internet, said a survey released Tuesday. The poll defines a net addict
as being happier in the virtual world than in the real one and feeling frustrated or at a loss
when not accessing the Net.
Source : 深圳日報 24/11/2005
Young teens hooked on the internet
About 20 per cent of junior secondary school pupils(in Hong Kong) are hooked on online
games while another 30 per cent are more seriously addicted to them, a survey has
found. ………. Researcher and social worker Benson Chan Kwok-kai said those defined as
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.31
being addicted showed other symptoms such as playing truant, often quarrelling with
their families, feelings of shame, guilt or depression, or were suffering from insomnia
because of their craving for the internet. Psychiatrist Ronald Chen Yuk-lun said: People
who are unsociable, inhibited, depressed, academically weak or have a bad relationship
with their families are more vulnerable to internet addiction. He said the first step was to
find out the reasons why youngsters got hooked.
Source : South China Morning Post
27/3/2007
Rehab opens door to reality for addicted gamers
Some (online game) players spend hours, even days at a time, slumped in front of their
screens, relying on a constant stream of cigarettes, alcohol, Red Bull or cocaine to stay
awake .……….. One gamer, Tim, was so obsessed he spent 17 hours a day playing games
and wouldn't even go to the toilet. "I take an empty bottle and I pee into it," he told
counsellors. Tim was helped by addiction consultant Keith Bakker, who believes excessive
gaming has resulted in a generation of young men in their 20s with the personalities of
12-year-olds - devoid of friends, other interests and a total inability to interact socially.
"They lose hours," he says. "An average compulsive gamer plays between five and 10
hours a day. Doing their homework, playing sports, meeting kids of the opposite sex, all
these things go out the window."
Source : South China Morning Post
20/8/2006
Studies reveal a strong link between excessive Internet use and serious mental disorders.
For a study in the March 2000 issue of the Journal of Affective Disorders, researchers
interviewed 20 people like Moore (not his real name) whose lives had been disrupted by
the Internet. Nearly all of them were diagnosed with serious mental illness, such as bipolar
disorder. Many were sacrificing sleep to spend an average of 30 hours a week online
outside work. Since the Internet is such a powerful multimedia experience, one may
become desensitized to less stimulating modalities, like reading. Attention and
concentration-span can decrease as a result of depression --- excessive Internet use can
increase depression.
The internet provides an outlet where individuals can interact with other individuals
behind the screen, without knowing the other individual’s appearance. Such an interaction
consequently makes the addicts lose real life communication skills, and even become
socially withdrawn.
Source : Mind prison : http://library.thinkquest.org/06aug/02049/text_el/problems.htm
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.32
Q.1 Based on the above articles, how common is internet addiction in the US, China and
Hong Kong?
Between 6 and 14 per cent of US computer users are internet addicts.
More than 13 percent of Chinese teens and young adults are addicted to the Internet.
About 20 per cent of junior secondary school pupils in Hong Kong are hooked on
online games while another 30 per cent are more seriously addicted to them
Q.2 What are the features of internet addiction?
The addicted are unable to resist the urge of being online
The addicted are happier in the virtual world than in the real one.
They fell frustrated or at a loss when not accessing the internet.
The use of the internet has adverse effects on their life.
Q.3 What problems may the internet addicts have?
Health effects : The addicts have problems like loss of sleep/ mental disorder /
mental illness, such as bipolar disorder / become desensitized to less stimulating
modalities, like reading / feeling of shame, guilt or depression / playing truant /
attention and concentration-span can decrease
Social effects : Poor schoolwork / broken marriages, homes and families /
inability to interact socially / lose real life communication skills, and even become
socially withdrawn
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.33
4.2 Brainstorm, mind map and list guiding questions
Skill : Mind mapping, define purposes of collecting information
BRAINSTORMING & MIND MAPPING
1.
Think as much as possible about the topic of this study. Write them on pieces of paper.
Write one item on each piece of paper.
2.
Classify the pieces of paper into different sub-topics. Give each sub-topic a name, e.g.
cause, effect ……
3.
Write the main topic (Internet addiction in our school) at the centre of a piece of
paper.
4.
Write the sub-topics around the main topics.
5.
Linking topics with lines.
6.
Use lines of different thickness or colour to show different levels, e.g.
and
7.
,
.
Show and explain your mind map to your classmates.
Example of mind map : Sports in Hong Kong
Cause of playing sports
Effects
Player
Sports in Hong Kong
Popularity
Types
Track & field
Others
Ball game
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.34
MIND MAP : INTERNET ADDICTION IN OUR SCHOOL - Watch this video and learn more about internet use by youngsters:
Hong Kong Christian Service: 親子溝通之網絡世界篇: http://www.hkcs.org/fcb/cc/video/wmv/f08worldwideweb.wmv (Cantonese vers
ion only)
The mind map below is suggested for teachers’ reference.
Internet addiction in our school
On health
Game
On social life
Cause
Communication
Effects
Web surfing
Activity
Internet addiction in our
school
Popularity
Blog
The addicted
Schoolwork
Age / grade
Sex
On school work
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.35
LIST GUIDING QUESTIONS
Now, you may use the information from brainstorming and mind mapping to make some
guiding questions. These guiding questions will help you design your study and make your
questionnaire. Examples of guiding questions have been given to you.
(The guiding questions below are for reference only. Teachers should modify them after
taking their students’ interest, ability and any possible constraints into consideration)
Examples of guiding questions
Guiding question
Sub-question
How popular is internet
addiction in our school?



Who are addicted to the
Internet?
How do we measure internet addiction?
Is there widely-used measure of internet addiction?
Does the measure fit our study?

What are their grades?
What are their sexes?
What are their examination scores?
How many family members do they have?
What do they do on the
Internet?

What activities do they do most on the Internet?
How much time they
spend on the Internet?

How much time do they spend on the Internet each
week?
Why do they do these
activities on the Internet?

Why do they play on-line game?
Why do they read & write blog?
Why do they play ICQ/MSN/Yahoo Messenger
/chatroom?
Why do they watch on-line video?
Why do they surf web sites?







What are the effects of
using the Internet on
them?





Does the use of the Internet affect their relationship with
family?
Does it affect their relationship with friends?
Does it affect their schoolwork?
Does it affect their health?
Does it cause them to commit crime?
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.36
4.3 Set, distribute and collect questionnaire
Skill : Collaboration skills, reflect & improve on the
effectiveness of their communication
Benny, a Form 3 student, sets a questionnaire to study the use of
public beaches by Hong Kong people for leisure. The main focuses of his questionnaire
include:

Who use beaches for leisure?

How do people use beaches?

How do people choose beach?
When he finishes his questionnaire, his teacher tells him that there are many mistakes in
his questionnaire. These mistakes will make the findings of his study inaccurate. Can you
point out the mistakes in Benny’s questionnaire?
Hello, I am Benny from Tai Man Secondary School. As you know, there are many good
beaches in Hong Kong, for example Repulse Bay and Clear Water Bay. They have good
facilities and are close to urban area. Therefore many people spend their leisure at
beach.
The aim of this questionnaire is to study the use of public beaches by Hong
Kong people for leisure.
Misleading
Q.1 What is your name?
_____________
Useless question
Q.2 How long do you stay at a beach?
A.
Very long
B.
Long
C.
Not long
D.
Short
Unclear meaning
_____________
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.37
Q.3 Which beach in Hong Kong do you like most? Repulse Bay?
directive prompt
Q.4 Which beach in Hong Kong do you go most often?
Better to give choices
Q.5 Why do you go to that beach so often?
Q.6 How many times did you go to that beach in last 12 months?
A.
0 - 10 times
B.
11 -100 times
C.
101 - 300 times
D.
More than 300 times
Invalid choice. Very few people
choose this choice.
Q.7 What have you ever done at that beach? Tick the activities you have done at that beach
(you may tick more than one activity)
A.
Swimming
_________
B.
Sunbathing
_________
Choices overlap /
C.
Water sports
_________
redundancy
D.
Boating
_________
E.
Surfing
_________
F.
Fishing
_________
G.
Relaxing
_________
H.
Other
_________
Q.8 Have you ever collected shell, walked the dog and barbequed at that beach?
A.
Yes, I have.
B.
No, I haven’t.
C.
I don’t know
Ask about only one thing in one question
Q.9 Will you recommend your friends to go to that beach?
A.
Yes, I will.
Give choice such as “no opinon” or “I don’t
B.
No, I will not.
know”.
Thank You!
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.38
WHAT IS A GOOD QUESTIONNAIRE?
Words have clear meaning - Avoid words which may have a lot of different
meanings.
Choose the correct types of question - Multiple-choice questions are quicker to
answer and give answers that can be counted. Open-end questions, however, allow
respondents to give longer and free answers.
Honest - A questionnaire should not be misleading.
Avoid invalid choices – Choices which are unlikely to be chosen are meaningless.
Avoid irrelevant information - Always keep in mind what information you should
collect. Do not collect irrelevant information. Irrelevant information tends to waste
your time. It also makes the questionnaire too long to be completed.
Short and concise - Imagine how long you will spend on filling a questionnaire, 3
minutes? 10 minutes? Most people are unwilling to complete very long
questionnaire. They either give up or answer carelessly.
Neat and well-structured - Similar questions should be grouped together so that
the questionnaire is easier to read.
Allow respondents to be neutral - Answers such as "don't know" and "no opinion"
should be included as choices.
Pilot study - Questionnaires should be tried out before
they are used in your study.
Avoid offensive and sensitive questions - Avoid asking
people about their age, name, income and address. If it is
necessary to know their age and income, you may ask
them to choose from groups (say $10000 - $30000, $30001
- $50000) and leave these questions to later in the
questionnaire.
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.39
YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE
Part One - Answer Questions 1 - 8 by putting a “” to indicate “yes” and a “x” to indicate
“no” in the boxes. Here the term “Internet” refers to all types of on-line activity.
1.
Do you often think about previous internet activity or wait for next
internet session?
2.
Do you need to use the Internet with increasing amounts of time?
3.
Have you tried to stop or reduce internet use but failed?
4.
Do you feel unhappy, depressed, or angry when cut down internet use?
5.
Do you often stay on the Internet longer than you planned to?
6.
Have internet use damaged your relationship with family / friends and
your schoolwork?
7.
Have you lied to family members or others about the way and time you
use the Internet?
8.
Do you use the Internet as a way of escaping from problems or
unhappiness?
(The above test is used and tested by psychologist. Teachers are Not advised to change the
questions.)
(It should be noted that while the developer considers the above test a workable measure
of internet addiction, she also points out that further study is needed to determine its
construct validity and clinical utility)
Source: Adopted from the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire, developed by Dr. Kimberly
Young, Pittsburg University, published in Cyber Psychology and Behavior, Vol. 1, No. 3, p.237 244
Part Two - Answer Questions 9 - 16 by putting a in the boxes or writing the answer on
the lines.
(This part of the questionnaire is for reference only. Teachers should guide
students to make their own questionnaire)
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.40
9. What is your grade?
F.1
F.2
F.3
F.4
F.5
F.6-7
10. What is your sex?
Male
Female
11. How much time on average you spend on the Internet per day?
12. Which activity do you do
most on the Internet?
hour
On-line game
Surfing web site
Reading / writing blog
Shopping
ICQ/Messenger/chatroom/e-mail/QQ
Downloading or watching video
Downloading or listening to music or radio
Other - Please state:
13. Why do you use the Internet?
For schoolwork
(May choose more than one
For fun
choice)
To contact other people
To forget unhappy things
To make money
To stay away from other people
Other - Please state:
14. Does using the Internet damages your relationship with family
Yes
members?
No
No idea
15. Does using the Internet damage your relationship
Yes
No
No idea
with friends and classmates?
16. What is your average score in the school’s last
0 - 20
annual examination? Please choose the nearest range.
21 - 40
41 - 60
61 - 80
81 - 100
Mark(s)
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.41
4.4 Write a report on internet addiction in your school
Skill : Develop a writing strategy for organizing ideas and information clearly and
coherently, perform numerical manipulations
COLLATE THE DATA - To collate the data is to help us understand and draw conclusions
from the data. Here you and your classmates will work together to finish this job. (The
instructions below are for reference only. Teachers should modify them to fit the finalized
questionnaire)
1.
Class no.1 - 10 : Sum up students’ scores in Q.1 - Q.8. By the scheme given by the
developer of the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire(See the box below),
classify the students into two groups - “normal internet users” and “addicted internet
users”. Count the number of students belong to each group. Put the answer in Row 1
in Data Entry Form.
SCALE
Say “yes” to less than five of the Q.1 - 8 : Normal internet user
Say “yes” to five or more of Q.1 - 8 : Addicted internet user
2.
Class no.11 - 14: Calculate the average on-line time of the normal and the addicted
users. Put answers in Row 2 in Data Entry Form.
3.
Class no. 15 - 18: Count the number of the normal and the addicted users in different
grades. Put the answers in Row 3 in Data Entry Form.
4.
Class no. 19 - 22: Count the number of the normal and the addicted users of different
sexes. Put the answers in Row 4 in Data Entry Form.
5.
Class no.23 - 26: Calculate the average score of the respondents in last annual
examination. Put the answers in Row 5 in Data Entry Form.
6.
Class no.27 - 30: Count how many times the activities are chosen as the one done most
on-line by the normal and the addicted users. Put the answers in Row 6 in Data Entry
Form.
7.
Class no.31 - 34: Count how many times the causes are chosen by the normal and the
addicted users for being on-line. Put the answers in Row 7 in Data Entry Form.
8.
Class no.35 - 38: Count the normal and the addicted users’ answers to Q.26. Put the
answers in Row 8 in Data Entry Form.
9.
Class no.39 - 42: Count the normal and the addicted users’ answers to Q.27. Put the
answers in Row 8 in Data Entry Form.
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.42
(This data entry form is for teacher’s reference only. Teachers should modify it to fit the
finalized questionnaire)
DATA ENTRY FORM
1.
Number of students belong to this
group(persons):
2.
Average on-line time per day
(hour):
3.
Number of students in
different grades
(persons):
F.1
F.2
F.3
F.4
F.5
F.6-7
4.
Number of students of
different sexes (persons): Male
Female
5.
6.
Average score of students in last
annual exam (mark)
On-line game
Times chosen
by students Surfing web site
as the
activity they
do most on Reading / writing blog
the Internet
(times)
Shopping
ICQ/Messenger/QQ/
chatroom/e-mail
Downloading/watching
video
Normal user
Addicted user
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.43
DATA ENTRY FORM
Downloading/listening
to music or radio
Other
7.
For schoolwork
Times chosen
by students For fun
as the cause
of using the
To contact other people
Internet
(times)
To forget unhappy thing
To make money
To stay away from other
people
Other
8.
Answer to Q.26.
Yes
No
No idea
9.
Answer to Q.27.
Yes
No
No idea
Normal user
Addicted user
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.44
INTEPRET THE DATA - The following questions help your group
draw conclusions from the data.
(The guides below are for reference only. Teachers should modify
them to fit the finalized questionnaire, the data entry form and their
students’ interest)
Q.1 How common is internet addiction in your school?
Q.2 Which types of students (e.g. grade, sex, examination score)
have biggest/bigger problem in internet use?
Q.3 Why do your schoolmates use the Internet? Do the causes differ between the normal
and the addicted users?
Q.4 What are the effects of using the Internet on your schoolmates? Do the effects differ
between the normal and the addicted users?
Q.5 How do your schoolmates use the Internet? Do the ways they use the internet differ
between the normal and the addicted users?
(No model answer or suggested answer to these five questions)
WRITE A REPORT
1.
Your report should include the following parts:
a.
An introduction to internet addiction. Give some reasons
to explain why it is meaningful to study this problem in your school (100 - 150 words).
b.
Base on the answers to the above five questions(Q.1 - Q.5), draw conclusions about
internet use/addiction in your school (150 - 400 words). Support your conclusion with
numbers.
c.
Insert 2 - 3 graphs to show some important numbers about internet use/addiction in
your school.
Hints: It is common to
i.
show change or trend with line graph,
ii.
compare different things with bar graph, and
iii.
show composition with pie graph
d.
Insert the data entry form at the end of your report for readers’ reference.
2.
Teacher will mark your report according to the marking scheme and rubric below:
Marking scheme : Your report will be given high mark if:
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.45
a.
you work out meaningful and important findings from the data, instead of copying
the raw data from the data entry form;
b.
there are no or few spelling and grammatical mistakes, and wording is accurate;
c.
there are suitable graphs, and the graphs are easy to read and understand;
d.
the length of your report is suitable;
e.
your report is clean and tidy; and
f.
your report includes an introduction and the data entry form
Rubric :
Criteria
Grade
a.
Excellent


Draw reasonable
and meaningful
conclusion from
the data.
Correct
comparisons
between the
more and the less
problematic
internet users.
Good

Calculate the raw
data to produce
new and
meaningful
numbers.
Fair

Includes mainly
raw data copied
from the data
entry form.
Poor

No or few facts
from the data
entry form are
reported.
30 marks --------------- 15 marks ---------------- 5 marks ------------------- 0 mark
b.


No or few
spelling and
grammatical
mistakes.
Accurate
wording.


Few spelling and
grammatical
mistakes.
Wording is not
accurate.


Some spelling
and grammatical
mistakes.
Able to
understand the
report.


Many spelling
and grammatical
mistakes.
Unable to
understand the
report.
20 marks --------------- 10 marks ---------------- 5 marks ------------------- 0 mark
c.


2 - 3 graphs.
The graphs are
well drawn,
suitable and
show important
information.


2 - 3 graphs.
The graphs either
show less
important
information / are
unsuitable / are
poorly drawn.

1 graph only.

No graph.
10 marks --------------- 5 marks ---------------- 3 marks ------------------- 0 mark
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.46
d.

Neither too long
nor too short.

Either Part a or
Part b is shorter
or longer than
required by less
than 20%.

Either Part a or
Part b is shorter
or longer than
required by 20 50 %.

Either Part a or
Part b is shorter
or longer than
required by more
than 50%.
20 marks --------------- 10 marks ---------------- 5 marks ------------------- 0 mark
e.

The report is
very clean and
tidy.

The report is
quite clean and
tidy.

The report is
quite dirty and
messy.

The report is very
dirty and messy.
10 marks --------------- 5 marks ---------------- 3 marks ------------------- 0 mark
f.

The report
includes a good
introduction and
the data entry
form.

The report
includes an
acceptable
introduction and
the data entry
form.

The report
includes either
an acceptable
introduction or
the data entry
form.

The report
includes neither
an acceptable
introduction nor
the data entry
form.
10 marks --------------- 5 marks ---------------- 3 marks ------------------- 0 mark
(Teachers may fine-tune their marking by giving any mark between two consecutive
grades)
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.47
4.5 Breaking your addiction or bad habit
Staying on the Internet, playing computer game, even reading and listening to music can
be “harmful” if we don’t do them properly. When we do them not properly, they become
addiction or bad habits. Most people know that they should break their addiction or bad
habit, but why can’t they make it?
1. Think:
a.
State one addiction or bad habit that troubles/troubled you.
b.
List the difficulties of breaking this addiction / bad habit.
I have / had the problem of ___________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
It is/was hard for me to break this addiction or bad habit, because:
Image source : http://multimediahelp.org
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.48
2. Discuss:
c.
You and your group members share the difficulties in breaking the addiction or bad
habit, then work together to classify all difficulties into several categories.
When we classify, we try our
Example of tree-diagram
best to produce categories
that:
i、 have clear boundary;
ii、 do
not
overlap
one
another; and
iii、 tell us what can do next.
Draw a tree-diagram like the
one on the right to show
your classification.
Make sure each category or
sub-category has a name that fits the content.
I have/had the following difficulties when breaking my addiction or
bad habit:
Image source : http://www.eduglobal.com
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.49
3. Report
d.
The principles below help people break their addiction or bad habit. Base on these
principles, suggest ways to quit internet addiction or overuse.
Remind - Often remind yourself about the problems caused by your addiction or bad habit.
For example, on a card write five major problems caused by telephone chatting, and five
major benefits of breaking this bad habit. Keep the card in your pocket or wallet. Read the
card several times a day.
Replace - Smokers can also replace smoking with snack. They may try other funny or
meaningful activities, especially those put them off before.
Reward- Many people fail to break a habit because they don’t have a clear plan. You
should set reasonable goals. For example, smokers can set a goal of 3 cigarettes a day
instead of 5, and set the time they can smoke in a day. If they reach their goal, they should
reward themselves and set a stricter goal.
Stoppers - Another simple way is to use things that you must do to stop you from doing
something further. If you have to go to school at 7:30 am, have you start listening to music
6:30, leaving exactly one hour before its time to quit.
Safe place - Put yourself in a safe place to separate you from your addiction or bad habit.
For example, drug users can stay in rehabilitation centres where they cannot get drugs.
Support - People who want to quit gambling may join together. They can support each
other by sharing their feelings, worries and joining other activities together.
Free answer.
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.50
Extension - Opium smoking in 19th-century China & its effects
E.1 Opium & its early history in China
Knowledge : Opium, opium smoking in early 19th -century China
Skill : Use appropriate tools for presenting quantitative information
Opium is a highly addictive drug made of juice from opium poppy. It has a brownish
yellow color, a faint smell, and a bitter taste. It produces a good feeling and drowsiness but
causes coma or death if taking in too much. Opium was first grown in the Mesopotamia in
about 3400 B.C. Later, the Mesopotamians passed along opium to Egypt, then Greece and
other places around the Mediterranean Sea. In 400 A.D., opium was first introduced to
China.
Opium poppy
Source : http://www.tqnyc.org/
Opium smoking
Source : HKEdcity :
http://www.hkedcity.net/resources/ires/ires
_browse.phtml?res_cat_id=5181&res_func
_type=0&page_no=3&page_no2=3&displa
y_type=BROWSE&sort_attr=create_date
&old_sort_attr=create_date&sort_order=a
sc&keyword=&ACTION_ID=/
The Chinese had used opium long to cure illness and kill pain. However, since the 1700s,
more and more Chinese abused opium for pleasure. Opium smoking became popular
among the Chinese. To stop this, the Chinese emperor banned the smoking and sale of
opium in 1729.
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.51
The trend of opium import from Britain to China in early 19th-century
Year
Opium import from Britain to China
(chest)
1800
1821
1830
1835
1838
4570
5959
19956
30202
40200
(Each chest contains 64 kg of opium)
In late 1700s, there was big demand for Chinese products like tea, silk and porcelain in
Britain. However, China had little demand for British products. As a result, Britain bought
much more goods from China than China bought from Britain. Britain had to pay a lot of
silver for these Chinese goods. In an attempt to stop losing silver, Britain illegally exported
more and more opium to China from India. The opium trade took off quickly, and the
silver flow began to reverse. In 1838, the Chinese emporer appointed Lin Zexu to ban
opium trade. He seized opium from the British merchants and destroyed it in Hu Men.
Source : Wikipedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars
1.
When was opium first introduced to China?
400 A.D.
2.
Give two reasons why the Chinese used opium.
For medical purposes like killing pain and cure illness.
For pleasure.
3.
“Opium smoking was common in early 19th-century China.” Give two pieces of
evidence to support this statement.
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.52
Opium import increased from 4570 chests in 1800 to 40200 chests in 1838.
More and more silver was spent on buying opium from Britain.
The Chinese emperor appointed Lin Zexu to ban opium again in 1838.
4.
Use the data given in Source Two to draw a diagram. The diagram should show the
amount of opium import from Britain to China between 1800 and 1838.
Hints
:
Choose the type of diagram which shows change or trend best.
:
Give your diagram a title.
:
Label the vertical axis and horizontal axis.
:
Don’t forget unit of measurement.
Opium import from Britain to China in early 19th century
No. of chests
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
1800
1821
1830
1835
1838
Year
5.
Describe the trend of opium import from Britain to China as shown in the diagram
you draw.
Increases between 1800 and 1838
Slow increase between 1800 and 1821
Fast increase between 1821 and 1838
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.53
E.2 Effects of opium smoking in 19th-century China
Knowledge : The effects of opium smoking in 19th-century China
Skill : Logical thinking, synthesis, imagination
Articles about the effects of opium smoking on 19th-century China
A.
“In the first instance, the use of opium was confined to the rich people, with whom it
became an luxury.…… Its use has extended upwards to the officers and downward to
the poor people, to travelers, to merchants, women, monks and nuns …… Now, every
year we lose thirty million taels of silver to other countries. Besides, tens of millions of
taels of silver are lost from other ports like Fujian, Zhejiang, Shandong, Tianjin as well.
We waste our valuable money to fill the deep overseas hole and to import harmful
substance. It is corrupting our country.”
Source: Huang Jueci : Petition with Emperor Daoguang for serious measures to ban opium
B.
Seven out of ten soldiers were opium users. This was to say that 7000 out of 10000
soldiers were invalid. The result was not just devastating, it heralded defeat. Feng
Zhanxun(an army officer) blamed the soldiers: “Many Cantonese and Fujianese soldiers
smoked opium, there are even more among the officers. They are cowards and they
have spoiled our operation.”
Source: Zheng Yangwen : The Social Life of Opium in China
C.
“His poverty and distress are now extreme, though his appetite(for opium) grows
stronger than ever - he is as a dead man. In this plight, he scrapes together a few copper
cash, and hurries away to one of the smoking-house, to buy a little of the scrapings(of
opium) from the pipe of another smokers.”
Source : Chinese Repositories : Admonitory Pictures
D.
“I saw that eight little girls, ranging from seven to twelve years of age, were being
placed in a cart ….. These children have been bought cheaply in Ta-t’ong Fu, by the man
you see with them, who is going to sell them at Tai-ku for a higher price. This has
become very frequent lately, and is what your opium doing.”
Source : Royal Commission on opium
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.54
1.
Read Source Four. Name three direct effects of opium smoking on early 19th-century
China.
China lost money / silver to other countries
Smokers suffered from bad health and weak body / Poverty
There would be fewer and fewer able-bodied people to be soldier to protect the
country.
Broken family / parents sold their children
2.
Besides the above direct effects, think of other possible bad indirect effects of opium
smoking. In the space below, draw a flow chart to show how one effect may cause
other effect(s).
Marking scheme : Your diagram will get high mark if it:
a.
shows a lot of effects;
b.
shows effects on different aspects like people’s health, society, economy;
c.
shows how one direct effect may cause far-reaching indirect effects; and
d.
shows how one effect may cause different indirect effects, and how different effects
may cause the same indirect effects
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.55
FLOW CHART - THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS OF OPIUM SMKING ON
EARLY 19th - CENTURY CHINA
Examples of direct and indirect effects: Quarrel among family members, people in debt,
broken family because family members might be sold for opium, people lacked money to
buy thing, slow development of industry, lack of able-bodied people to do farm work, food
shortage, health problem, no money for studying, illiteracy, slow science and technology
progress, losing war, paying money to other countries, bankruptcy.
Rubric :
a.

Excellent 4 marks
Give more than
10 additional
and reasonable
effects

Good 3 marks
Give 4 to 10
additional and
reasonable effects

Fair 2 marks
Give 1 to 3
additional
and
reasonable
effects


Poor 1 mark
No additional effects
except the ones
mentioned
previously, OR
Effects given are
trivial
b.

Effect on more
than one
additional
aspect

Effect on one
additional aspect,
such as social /
family / food
supply

Effects
covering
health,
defense and
economy

Effects do not cover
all of the following
three aspects : health,
defense and economy
c.

Give three levels
of indirect effect

Give two levels
of indirect effect

Give one level
of indirect
effect

No indirect effect is
given
d.

More than one
example for each
of
multiple-causes
and multipleeffects

One example for
each of
multiple-causes
and multipleeffects

Either one
example of
multiple-cause
s or multipleeffects

Neither example of
multiple-causes nor
multiple- effects
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.56
E.3 Who should be responsible for the opium problem in early
19th-century China?
Knowledge : The role and responsibility of different parties in the opium problem in
19th century China
Skill : Withhold premature judgment, defending & rethinking ideas
Flag of the British East India Company
The British East India Company(E.I.C.) was set
up by a British royal charter, which granted it a
monopoly over English trade with the East in
1600. From China, the E.I.C. bought tea, silk and
porcelain and paid with silver. Over the next 100 years, as tea became a very popular drink
in England, there was a fear that too much silver was flowing from Britain to China.
Allowed by the British government, the E.I.C. took part in a triangular trade by smuggling
opium (a highly addictive and illegal drug) from India into China.
The E.I.C. grew opium in India. Although the Chinese government had banned opium
smoking, and many British thought that opium smoking was immoral, the E.I.C. sold
opium to Chinese merchants
because of the big profit. After
the E.I.C’s trade monopoly was
abolished in 1834, more opium
was exported to China by more
European firms.
A British opium factory in India
Source :
British Library :
http://www.bl.uk/learning/images/
trading/comp/large7576.html
The E.I.C. sold its opium to
some licensed private firms.
The private firms shipped the
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.57
opium in heavily armed opium clippers to receiving ships staying off the coast of southern
China. From these receiving ships the opium was transferred to boats called 'fast crabs' and
'scrambling dragons', crewed by Chinese pirates who took the opium to ports. The bribed
Chinese officials allowed the opium to be unloaded. The gangsters and Triads smuggled
opium to different places and ran opium dens where people smoked opium.
Trading ships in
southeast Asia in 19th
century
Source : British Library :
http://www.bl.uk/learni
ng/histcitizen/trading/s
tory/voyage/1earlyvoya
ges.html
The opium trade was
important to the British. Much of the money earned by the E.I.C. went to the government
of British India, then to the Britain as tax. Since early 1820s,
British trade with China was
in surplus, because the silver that China used to buy opium was much more than that the
British used to buy tea and silk from China.
Source : The British Library : Opium and the expansion of trade :
http://www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen/trading/story/trade/4tradingplaces.html
To know more : You may visit the web site of British Library :
http://www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen/trading/tradingplaces.html# to try an
interactive virtual voyage of the East India Company.
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.58
THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF DIFFERENT PARTIES IN THE OPIUM PROBLEM
As you have found previously, opium smoking caused many problems in China in the 19th century. It’s
meaningful to discuss about the role and responsibility of different parties in this issue. Now imagine that
there was a court studying the opium problem. Six parties (Column 1, the table below) were accused of
causing the opium problem……
1.
Read Source Five.
2.
Describe the role of the different parties in opium trade. Put your answer in Column 2 in the table below.
3.
Form five groups. Each group choose to be any ONE of the six parties in Column 1 (Except the British
Government).
4.
Each group think about arguments to defend themselves. A speaker from the group presents the arguments to
other groups in a one-minute speech. Please draft the speech before it is given to other groups.
5.
All groups listen to other groups’ presentations. Put the defending arguments in Column 3. Challenge the
defending arguments and put their accusing arguments in Column 4.
Column 1:
Column 2:
Column 3:
Column 4:
Party involved
Role
Defending argument
Accusing argument
The British

government
The British Government granted

E.I.C. a monopoly over all English
trade, including opium, with the
East.

A government should increase the

country’s income.

We could do nothing about opium
trade outside Britain.
The British Government should think
about income as well as morals.

If the British Government could grant
E.I.C. a monopoly over British trade
Allowed the E.I.C. to export opium
outside Britain, why couldn’t it stop
to China.
the E.I.C. from trading opium outside
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.59
Britain?
East India Company

Grew opium in India.

Sold opium to licensed firms who
transported opium to China.


didn’t care what they used it for.


Private firms
We sold the opium to other firms. We
Opium is a medicine, it is not
It is immoral to sell opium if you
know it is for abuse.

The Chinese did not need so much
necessarily evil to grow and sell
opium for curing diseases. Most of the
opium.
opium was abused.
To smoke or not to smoke opium is up  It is immoral to help people abuse

Bought opium from E.I.C.
to one’s decision. We didn’t force

Transported the opium to receiving
them to smoke opium.
opium.
ships staying off the coast of
southern China
Chinese officials

Some of them took bribe and

allowed opium to be unloaded in
the ports.

There was demand for opium in

An official should not do unlawful
China. We just did them a favour.
thing. Doing the addicted favour was
Even I didn’t allow the opium to be
in fact hurting them.
unloaded, other officers allowed.

It was wrong to assume other people
would do the same thing as you did.
Chinese pirates and

gangsters

Transferred opium to ports with

To smoke or not to smoke opium is up  It was immoral to help people abuse
boats called 'fast crabs' and
to one’s decision. We didn’t force the
'scrambling dragons'
smokers to smoke opium.

One should obey law.
I did this for my family members.

Doing unlawful thing was dangerous
Took opium to different places.

opium.
Addiction / Teacher’s copy / p.60

Ran opium dens
Chinese opium

Paid for opium
smokers

Smoked opium
to your family members.


I didn’t want to be addicted. I could

When there is a will, there is a way.
not control myself because opium is
You could have quitted smoking
really addictive.
opium if you decided to do so.
The evil merchants should not
introduce opium to me. They were
wrong, I was not.

The merchants were wrong did not
mean you are right.