Polydrug Use: Danger for Expats in Hong Kong

Despite the risks of getting caught, some expats in Hong Kong still take illegal substances. Foreign people living in Hong Kong regularly engage in drugs like cocaine, heroin and Xanax. But there is a group of foreigners who indulge in an even more risky behaviour: polydrug use.

Polydrug use is when someone uses more than one drug at the same time. This increases the risks of developing mental health problems, overdosing and taking part in dangerous activities. This blog explores why people do this, what the risks are, and how you or your loved one can get help.

If you or a loved one is addicted to substances and live in Hong Kong, help is available. Contact The Cabin Hong Kong today at +852-3008-5841 for more information.

Patterns of Polydrug Use for Expats in Hong Kong

Not everyone who engages in polydrug use in Hong Kong takes these drugs in the same way, but there are common combinations of drugs that expats in Hong Kong take.

Heroin and Cocaine

Heroin has been popular in Hong Kong since the 1960s. The drug has been widely available during this time, and there are a large number of Hong Kong residents who are hooked on the drug.

And while cocaine has also been around in Hong Kong for several decades, in recent years it has become both more popular and less expensive. This has led to many people who were solely heroin addicts also becoming hooked on cocaine.

This is a worrying trend, as the combination of these substances is one of the most deadly a person can take.

Alcohol and Xanax

While cocaine and heroin are a combination of an “upper” and a “downer”, this combination is of two “downers”. Alcohol and Xanax both slow the heart rate down and cause relaxation and disorientation.

It is a common polydrug use combination for expats in Hong Kong, as long and stressful work hours can cause some foreign workers in HK to take this combo to feel less tension.

These two are also very dangerous when used together, and are a common cause of overdose death.

Alcohol and Cocaine

Expats in Hong Kong often take these substances so they can party following hard days at work. Alcohol potentiates cocaine, creating a stronger and longer-lasting drug in the body, known as cocaethylene.

Cocaethylene is far more cardiotoxic than cocaine, and users of this combination often find themselves in dangerous situations, as they become uninhibited from alcohol and stimulated by cocaine. This can lead to polydrug users engaging in risky sexual practices or sometimes violence.

Why is Polydrug use so Dangerous for Expats?

Using drugs can be dangerous wherever you are, and the risks are multiplied when you take more than one drug. However, expats around the world face additional dangers when using drugs abroad.

The relative anonymity of being away from their home country means that expats can use substances without the people around them knowing what they are up to. While back home you may have friends and family who advise you to ease off when you are taking too many substances, the relatively smaller social networks that some expats have in foreign countries can mean people with drug problems fall through the net.

Drug abuse in places like Hong Kong also comes with the risk of serious legal consequences if you are caught. HK has notoriously strict drug laws, which expats may not appreciate until it is too late.

People caught with possession of an illegal drug can face fines of up to HKD 1,000,000 and imprisonment for up to 7 years. Those caught selling drugs risk fines of up to HKD 5,000,000 and life imprisonment.