BEIJING -- Beijing on Wednesday called on taxi drivers to participate in anti-drug campaigns in an effort to build a drug-free environment for the Olympic Games next year.
The municipal drug control committee sent text messages to all of its licensed 100,000 taxi drivers, encouraging them to report information of drug users or drug cases to the police.
"Taxi drivers have more opportunities to meet drug users than ordinary people, we can greatly expand anti-drug scope and improve efficiency with their help," said Che Kejian, an officer with the drug control department of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau.
Officials also gave out brochures and magazines to taxi drivers at the airport, railway station and a business street in central Beijing, promoting the significance of the anti-drug campaign.
All the city's 67,000 cabs in service will be equipped with such materials soon, according to an agreement reached between the drug control committee and the taxi association.
Taxi drivers who offers vital clue of a drug case will get at least 2,000 yuan (270 U.S. dollars) in reward, according to the agreement.
Wednesday's activities mark the launching of a campaign dubbed "protect Olympics, stop drugs", which calls upon some 14,485 volunteers to promote anti-drug concepts to the public, carry out investigations in community compounds in the city, report suspects to the police authority, and help the drug users to beat their addiction.
Beijing started to recruit anti-drug volunteers in 2006. So far, the 14,485 volunteers from all walks of life are working in 30 teams, covering almost every residential area in the city.
Beijing has established a comprehensive network involving volunteers, households, community compounds, and work places to help drug addicts quit drugs.
