A university in Hong Kong is investigating a suspected case of cannabis use on campus after a video circulated on social media that appeared to show a student smoking the drug inside a dormitory room.
A spokeswoman for the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) said on Saturday it was aware of the clip and had launched an investigation.
“HKUST has established procedures for handling student violations,” she said. “If a case is confirmed, the school will take different follow-up actions or disciplinary sanctions based on the seriousness of the violation.”
The university stressed it would not tolerate any illegal behaviour and had stepped up inspections to urge students to remain vigilant and abide by the law.
The editorial board of the HKUST Students’ Union wrote on its Facebook page on Friday an anonymous reader informed it that a student association leader had shared a video on social media of suspected marijuana being smoked in UG Hall I.
“The clip is about 18 seconds long, in which a student can be seen grinding items suspected to be marijuana in a dormitory room. Several bags of suspected marijuana and smoking apparatus are also placed on the desk,” it said.
“This is the second marijuana-related incident at UG Hall I since a suspected marijuana odour was discovered in February.”
Police last year said cannabis had become a “mainstream” drug of choice for young people who harboured misconceptions about its dangers.
Last month, police arrested a man and seized more than HK$12 million (US$1.53 million) worth of drugs – including 12.5kg (27.5lbs) of heroin, 8kg of cannabis buds, 270 cannabis oil cartridges and small quantities of cannabis candy, cannabis cookies and hallucinogenic mushrooms – from two industrial building units suspected to be the manufacturing base for a drug syndicate.
Possession or use of a dangerous drug carries a maximum punishment of seven years in jail and a fine of HK$1 million (US$127,860).
